All of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 1 is now available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription. And, a fans wait for Season 2's arrival, there are mounting questions about what's next for the series and the franchise's future in general. Fortunately, top producer Alex Kurtzman has been candid and giving the answers he can, especially when it comes to returning guest stars like Paul Giamatti, and whether he'll return to the show.

With Giamatti's Nus Braka detained by Starfleet at the end of the first season, TV Insider and others wondered if Giamatti would return in Season 2. Kurtzman didn't leave fans guessing and laid out where things currently stand on getting the Oscar-winning actor back in the fold. At this point, there's both good and bad news on that front:

Paul Giamatti is a busy guy in Hollywood, but one has to imagine the door is open for him to do a one-off or mini arc of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy in Season 3. Season 2 has already completed filming, which is why there's no chance of seeing him in the next season.

Kurtzman already sounds as though he's planning for Season 3, which makes sense given showrunner Noga Landau has indicated the same. With her recent tease that the second season is going to end on a cliffhanger, I would imagine they (hopefully) wouldn't do that with zero indication from Paramount that the show is likely to be renewed.

Of course, nothing feels certain these days when it comes to Paramount Skydance, especially as the company irons out its acquisition of Warner Bros. As the 2026 TV schedule rolls on, it's expected that there will be updates about shakeups across multiple franchises, including Star Trek.

Ultimately, the dust is still settling on the specifics of the acquisition, and there are a lot of decisions that must be made while we wait to see if the merger is even cleared. Kurtzman indicated to CinemaBlend that we're still a ways off before the new heads even get to talking about what's ahead for Star Trek in earnest, which means it could take some time before we get a new show announcement or season renewal news.

The upside of this news is that we have one season of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy on the way, and two seasons of Strange New Worlds that have yet to air. With that lineup, it'll be a minute before we're out of Trek to watch, so there's still some time to kick back and wait for updates.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 1 is available to stream on Paramount+. Those who are behind still have plenty of time to catch up before Season 2's arrival (though I do wonder when we'll get the newest season of Strange New Worlds.)

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is finally here, and as fans check it out with a Paramount+ subscription, they're noticing a few things. Critics have praised the cast, and I'm not surprised considering the talent involved. Oscar winner Paul Giamatti lived his longtime dream and joined the franchise, though he had to clear the air about wanting to play a Klingon.

I've heard a lot about Giamatti wanting to play a member of that Star Trek alien species, and he gets that wish with Nus Braka in Starfleet Academy. The smuggler is a half-Klingon, half-Tellarite key character in Season 1. When I spoke to Giamatti and asked him about his long campaign to play a Klingon character, he admitted to CinemaBlend that it was a far-fetched pitch, as well as shared his thoughts on getting in prosthetics:

Prosthetic work, especially for Star Trek, can be a real struggle. Jeffrey Dean Morgan nearly quit acting over it, and Colm Meaney griped about the one time he had to play a Klingon as well. It's not for everyone, but apparently it's something that Paul Giamatti seemed to enjoy when he was on Starfleet Academy. That shouldn't come as much of a surprise given how he reacted to the prospect of not playing an ape in Planet of the Apes.

Giamatti continued, going a bit into his history with Star Trek with his father as a child. While he was happy to get prosthetics for the role, he was also thrilled to hear that he'd be playing a Tellarite:

Nus Braka is every bit as hyper-aggressive as Giamatti said, and his destiny is interwoven with Holly Hunter's Captain Ake and Sandro Rosta's Caleb Mir from the very start. After seeing the first six episodes, I'd rank him as one of the best, if not the best, villains we've seen in the current Star Trek era.

While Paul Giamatti is a gem and a great addition to Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, his appearances are fleeting. It's a good thing, then, that the rest of the cast is equally strong, with Oscar-winner Holly Hunter leading the story as Captain Ake. Take her, returning talent like Robert Picardo, and a fresh cast of young, but talented actors, and there's a strong cast attached to this show.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy takes place in the 32nd century, and follows the lives of a new generation of cadets who join the Academy after "The Burn." With warp-travel returning for the first time in a century, there's a lot of work the Federation has to do to rebuild alliances and understand the new world, and these cadets will be in on the ground floor of all of it. I'm excited to see how the series evolves going forward and what other adventures lay in wait for this "next generation" of Starfleet's finest.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streams new episodes on Paramount+ on Thursdays. Stick with CinemaBlend as we cover the series throughout the inaugural season and speculate on what could be coming up in Season 2.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's marketing team caused quite a stir a couple of days ago with a poster that looked like something out of One Tree Hill. It led to a lot of conversation about the show's tone and how much it might deviate from previous Trek shows. I'll admit I was worried until I saw a new clip for the upcoming 2026 show.

A new clip from the series, set to debut for Paramount+ subscribers on January 15th, was shown over the weekend at CCXP 2025. For those who haven't seen it yet and were also concerned after that poster for the show made rounds, check this out:

I assumed only good things would come when Holly Hunter was originally announced for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, and damn, it's indeed great to see her acting opposite Paul Giamatti. In regard to the latter's character, though, what kind of scum targets a ship he likely knows is loaded with a bunch of untrained cadets?

As for the students, we see a group of the ensemble cast helping Robert Picardo's Doctor as he attempted to get the other students to safety. His demeanor felt a bit different than the Doctor we're used to in Voyager, but I guess it's normal that someone may change a bit over the course of close to 1,000 years.

Overall, it looks just like an episode we'd see in a modern Trek series. Obviously, I think most people will make Discovery comparisons because it's set in the same distant future the show traveled to in Season 3 and on, but I also get Strange New Worlds vibes from it as well. It feels familiar, which, given all the chaos that ensued when it seemed the Star Trek series was trying to do something completely different, should be comforting.

I think what's most exciting about this series is it feels like the show has a lot of characters who could get the spotlight in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. This scene makes it seem as though the story may jump between what's going on with Captain Ake and her bridge crew, and also cut to events going on with the cadets as well. It opens up the show to give traditional Trek adventures when needed, but I'd also expect the show to take advantage of its classroom setting for new scenarios fans haven't seen before.

I'm hyped for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy on Paramount+ on January 15th, and with Season 2 already confirmed, I can't wait to see how the series develops over the course of Season 1. If we have more scenes like what we saw above on the way, I'm pretty hype.

Having already collected fans from her starring roles in Orphan Black and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Tatiana Maslany is adding another major genre credit to her resume. She’s set to recur on the upcoming Star Trek TV show Starfleet Academy, which will premiere sometime in 2026. One of her co-stars on the project is Paul Giamatti, who’s playing Starfleet Academy’s main villain. Maslany opened up to CinemaBlend about working with The Holdovers actor, but what really got me jazzed was when she shared her fandom for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, one of my favorite shows in the franchise.

What Tatiana Maslany Said About Acting With Paul Giamatti In Starfleet Academy

Our own Sarah El-Mahmoud spoke to Maslany at San Diego Comic-Con about her new movie Keeper, which opens this November on the 2025 release schedule. When Starfleet Academy came up in the conversation, the actress said this about her experience on set with the man we’ll be seeing this September in Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale:

Alas, we still don’t know the identities of Tatiana Maslany and Paul Giamatti’s characters in Starfleet Academy, though thanks to EW, we now know that Giamatti had his pick of five roles when courted to come aboard. Regardless, it’s good to hear from Maslany that she enjoyed her time alongside him, as well as appreciated how she was able to push her acting abilities further than the kind of movies and TV shows she usually does. That makes me all the more eager to learn how she fits into the next Star Trek series.

Why Tatiana Maslany Likes Star Trek: Deep Space Nine So Much

As far as what she did to prepare for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, Tatiana Maslany was already a fan of the franchise before being cast. However, getting the gig pushed her to watch all of Deep Space Nine for the first time, and it didn’t take long for her to become a passionate fan. As Maslany explained:

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is very much an underrated offering in the Star Trek franchise, and I recommend to any people who haven’t seen the show to rectify that by streaming it with a Paramount+ subscription. Airing from 1993 to 1999, Deep Space Nine started off episodic like The Original Series and The Next Generation before it, but embraced in its later seasons, long before that was popular on television. I’m glad Tatiana Maslany liked the show so much that she binged it in just a few months and admires how it tackled political topics.

That’s not to say that Starfleet Academy will have a Deep Space Nine feel to it, but at least me and the other fans of the latter series can count Maslany among our ranks. As for the former series, keep checking back with CinemaBlend for the latest news on what to expect from it.

When the cast list for Season 7 of Black Mirror -- which is finally streaming now on Netflix -- was announced, I immediately clocked the episode starring Paul Giamatti. I’m a huge fan of the actor and his movies, so I knew he would hit this out of the park. He does. That wasn’t surprising when I watched the fifth episode of the season, titled “Eulogy.” What surprised me was that it might be the first time I actually want a fictional device featured on an episode of the notoriously technophobic dystopian anthology show.

A Rare Case That A Black Mirror Episode Didn’t End In Dispair

If you’re a fan of the show, I don’t have to tell you that Black Mirror episodes usually leave you with a pit in your stomach and a genuine desire to turn back the clock on technology. “Eulogy” is the rare example of an episode of the show that actually ends on a good note. Some of the best episodes of Black Mirror, like “San Junipero” in Season 3, end like that, for example. Most episodes of Charlie Booker-created series twist your psyche into a pretezel and have you swearing off screen time forever (though it always sucks you back in).

“Eulogy” has a happy ending, and critics are praising the episode, calling it the best of the season. Giamatti’s character, who has been angry at his ex-girlfriend for years, blaming her for all the bad in his life, finally finds peace with himself and their relationship. It’s all due to a little device called simply “eulogy” that allows him to step into old photos and relive the moment almost as if he was back in time and in the place where the photo was taken. He rediscovered what he loved about his ex and how a single moment of miscommunication changed everything for them as a couple.

I Really Want This Device, It Could Be So Cool

I’ve written a lot about nostalgia. As I get older, I find myself naturally getting more nostalgic. I don’t want to relive my past, nor do I want to turn back time, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to remember a lot of things in my life with more clarity. As we get older, we forget more; that’s just the way life is. It gets to a point when even some of the most consequential moments, good and bad, become fleeting memories.

The device in the episode doesn’t let Giamatti’s character relive moments, but it opens up the floodgates to unlock the memories of those moments as if they were yesterday. That’s exactly how I want my memories to be. I don’t need to change the bad stuff, and I don’t want to hide in the good stuff. I just want to remember what those moments felt like and recall details I’ve surely forgotten. What were the smells? How did I feel? Those aren’t things you get from a simple photo, but they are more important than the color of the shirt I was wearing, which you can get.

Nostalgia is a powerful emotion, and the way the series plays with it here is amazing. Season 7 of Black Mirror continues to prove that the show is one of the most bingeable shows on Neflix, especially when it digs into an emotion that isn’t just fear or dread.

After nearly two years, Charlie Brooker’s sci-fi anthology series Black Mirror has returned to the 2025 Netflix schedule, complete with six new chapters of cautionary tales and explorations into the world of technology. Critics had the opportunity to screen Black Mirror Season 7 ahead of its release to the 2025 TV calendar, and many agree which episode every fan should be sure to check out.

Like the seasons that came before it, Season 7 boasts an epic cast that includes Peter Capaldi, Issa Rae, Emma Corrin, Paul Giamatti, Tracee Ellis Ross and more, seemingly proving that Black Mirror has the best casting. Where will the seventh offering fall in the ranking of Black Mirror seasons? See what critics are saying about the season as a whole — streaming now with a Netflix subscription — and its most notable episodes.

Jenna Scherer of AV Club gives the season a B+ overall, calling “Common People” a punch straight to the gut that kicks off the more-relevant-than-ever season. However, it’s “Eulogy” starring Paul Giamatti that should be a priority for fans. The critic says:

Samantha Nelson of IGN rates Season 7 a “Great” 8 out of 10 and agrees that “Eulogy” is the season’s high point. Nelson says there’s not a dud in the mix, and also mentions the scathing rebuke of those who find desperation entertaining in “Common People,” as well as “USS Callister: Into Infinity” giving us our first true Black Mirror sequel in this love letter to Star Trek. Of “Eulogy” the critic says:

Liz Shannon Miller of Consequence thinks Season 7 holds some of the best and worst episodes of the series, making for an uneven experience. At the top of the list, though, is “Eulogy,” Miller says:

Chris Evangelista of SlashFilm also is less impressed by the season as a whole, rating it 5 out of 10 and suggesting Charlie Brookers is out of ideas. “Eulogy” depicts a man being able to revisit the past by stepping into old photographs, and while the plot is predictable, the two-time Oscar nominee is great, according to the critic, who writes:

Daniel D’Addario of Variety calls Paul Giamatti in “Eulogy” one of the series’ best acting performances ever as a man using A.I. to reconstruct a defining romantic relationship. The critic continues:

As noted above, there are some other episodes that stand out to critics. Matthew Creith of The Wrap says “Common People” is a “fascinating look at how technology has bound humanity to devices (and people) we need while also clouding our judgment on affordability.”

Meanwhile, “Plaything” revisits the world of Black Mirror: Bandersnatch in a welcome continuation of the 2018 interactive movie. However, in the end it’s the cast that makes Season 7 worthwhile, especially the performances like Cristin Milioti’s in “USS Callister: Into Infinity.” In Creith’s words:

It’s only natural that the episodes of Black Mirror will affect their viewers in different ways, but it’s hard to argue with all the talk that Paul Giamatti is getting for “Eulogy.” Will that or any others from Season 7 be considered amongst Black Mirror’s best episodes? You can form your own opinions, with all six episodes available to stream on Netflix now.

The 2025 movie schedule is in for a grand finale this September, as the third film from creator Julian Fellowes’ Downton Abbey series will bring the legacy of the Crawley family to a close. As seen with the recent Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’s title reveal, it is indeed time to say goodbye to the hit drama franchise.

That occasion is even more of a bittersweet happening, as the passing of the late Dame Maggie Smith has lent this project even more of an emotional investment. And as returning guest star Paul Giamatti recently discussed with People, the filming of this swan song very much kept the memory of the Dowager Countess in mind. Here’s how Giamatti reinforced that belief, when talking up the September 12th release:

Paul Giamatti’s recognition of his previous Downton co-star is a pretty big deal considering The Holdovers actor was only ever in one episode of the ITV series’ television run. Playing Harold, brother to Elizabeth McGovern’s Cora Crawley, the Christmas episode for Season 4 saw the Academy Award nominated actor fleshing out a family tree in charming manner.

Similar to the message in Downton Abbey producer Gareth Neame’s tribute to Maggie Smith, the story of this upcoming threequel also sees the departed actor’s onscreen family reckoning with her character’s death. In the cinematic sendoff for Violet Crawley in Downton Abbey: A New Era’s ending, there were many tears shed by fans and co-stars alike. Now those tears have an added weight, thanks to reality.

Turning back to Paul Giamatti’s limited, but memorable experience on the series, that rendezvous was as memorable for him as it was for Peacock subscription holders who continue to discover/revisit Downton Abbey. Including his memory of working on “The London Season” episode, Giamatti paid further respects to Dame Maggie Smith by remembering her thusly:

While Mr. Giamatti may not have been a long time Downton cast member, he’s been teasing a mysterious reason for his Grand Finale return. Whatever it may be, it’s important enough to happen in this final picture in the wake of family loss that is still felt to this day.

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale promises the curtain call of a lifetime, with its debut set for September 12th. And if potential tears involving Paul Giamatti are your thing, he'll be appearing in Black Mirror Season 7's episode "Eulogy" - which hits Netflix on April 10th.

While Downton Abbey is practically an institution in the realm of British television, the show and its two follow-up movies did have regular America representation thanks to Elizabeth McGovern’s Cora Crawley, the Countess of Grantham. During the TV series, we also met Cora’s mother, Shirley McClaine’s Martha Levinson, and her brother, Paul Giamatti’s Harold Levinson. Since Giamatti only appeared once on Downton Abbey, I was surprised when it was announced he’ll be reprising Harold in Downton Abbey 3, one of the 2025 movie releases. Now I’m glad that he’s finally opening up about his return to the role.

Giamatti discussed his involvement in Downton Abbey 3 during an interview with EW, acknowledging that he too was surprised to be asked back considering he was a “very kind of marginal character” during the show’s run. The actor then noted that somebody “thought it was a good idea” to make him “very important” to this movie, adding:

So rest assured from those of you who were worried Paul Giamatti would only cameo in Downton Abbey 3, because that’s not going to happen. He won’t get into specifics, but the twice Academy Award-nominated performer is assuring fans that Harold Levinson will be integral to the plot. How so? It’s anyone’s guess at this point, but I do have a couple ideas based off the time period the threequel will be set and the loss of someone from the Downton Abbey family.

Before I get into that, in case you need a refresher, Harold was introduced in “The London Season,” Downton Abbey’s Season 4 Christmas special. A participant in the Teapot Dome Scandal, he was able to escape with just a reprimand when Robert Crawley went to the United States to testify about his brother-in-law’s character in front of Congress. Harold then went to London with his mother to get out of the public spotlight for a while, despite his dislike of traveling. While there, he attended Lady Rose Aldrige’s debutante ball and became friendly with Madeleine Allsopp, the daughter of Lord Aysgarth.

That special was set in 1923 and Downton Abbey: A New Era was set in 1928, meaning Downton Abbey 3 will either be set in 1929 or sometime in the early 1930s. That leads me to my first guess about Harold Levinson: could his appearance be connected to the Wall Street Crash of 1929? Maybe the Crawley family is hit hard by the crash and Harold, whom Martha Levinson once said was as “rich as Croesus, comes to financially aid them after he was able to retain most, if not all of his fortune.

Speaking of Martha, given that Downton Abbey: A New Era ended with the death of Maggie Smith’s Violet Crawley (and Smith herself passed away last September), I can’t help but worry that we might learn that she’d died too. If that happens, then it makes sense why Harold would reunite with Cora and Robert’s family, as they’d be paying their respects to Martha. However, that doesn’t sound like something on the level of importance as what Paul Giamatti is teasing.

With Downton Abbey 3 set for release on September 12, we’re a half year away from learning exactly what he’s talking about. Along with this, Giamatti is set to play the main villain in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, which will premiere on Paramount+ either in late 2025 or 2026.

The continued uncertainty surrounding James Bond 26 leaves a lot to the imagination, especially when we don’t know who’s going to play the new 007. However, I’m not here to talk about that usual mill of speculation today, as I want to dig into something else that every good Bond movie needs: a villain. As you’d expect, there are a lot of betting odds covering this subject, and quite a few of the candidates involved remind me of a point I’ve made when it comes to something I really want to happen in Bond 26.

Bond 26’s Villain Odds Have A Lot Of Promising Choices

Online betting site BetOnline have quite a few fields one can monitor the odds on, which includes a roster of hopeful actors to play Commander Bond himself. Also, if anyone wants to check how our previously reported Bond Girl odds are faring, you’ll be surprised to see who is on the list, especially since supposed front runners Sydney Sweeney and Margaret Qualley are not.

Shifting to another big surprise, this is one of the first times I can think of where someone’s paid any attention to trying to cast Bond 26’s villain. As you’ll see listed below, a couple Bond veterans are in the mix, in addition to some dark horse candidates.

But the top three choices below are rather golden, if we’re sticking to the traditional mold. Feel free to read along and agree/disagree:

1. Cillian Murphy: +500 (16.67%)
2. Paul Giamatti: +600 (14.29%)
3. David Dastmalchian: +700 (12.5%)
4. Giancarlo Esposito / Helena Bonham Carter / Zendaya: +800 (11.11%)
5. Robert De Niro / Jack Black / Willem Defoe / Mads Mikkelsen / Kevin Bacon / Emma Stone / Hugh Jackman: +1200 (7.69%)
6. Samuel L Jackson / Gary Oldman/ Margot Robbie: +1400 (6.67%)
7. Christopher Walken / Hugh Grant / Denzel Washington / Keanu Reeves / Jared Leto / Jeremy Irons: +1600 (5.88%)
8. Sean Bean / Jennifer Lawrence / Scarlett Johansson / Emily Blunt / Chris Smalls: +2000 (4.76%)
9. Ralph Fiennes / John Malkovich / Tim Roth: +2500 (3.85%)
10. Tom Brady / Adam Sandler: +3300 (2.94%)

If Cillian Murphy, Paul Giamatti or David Dastmalchian were cast as the villain for the next James Bond movie, I’d be set to accept that, for sure. A trio of versatile actors we’ve seen do pretty much anything, those aren’t gambles at all. But if we’re going to kickstart 007 in the Amazon-MGM Studios era of creative control, it’s time to break out a move that evolves one of my favorite Bond villains of the past.

I Still Think Bond 26 Needs To Have A Female Villain

25 years after The World is Not Enough pulled the rug out from under us with Sophie Marceau’s Elektra King, I’m shocked we haven’t seen a full-on female Bond villain. While she definitely counts towards the history of female antagonists in the series, that reveal came after most of that entry in Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond era had led us to believe that Renard (Robert Carlyle) was the one running the show.

While I know that comments on James Bond’s “reinvention” came from former producer Barbara Broccoli, that remark applies even more going forward. Whomever gets the gig to make Bond 26 is clearly going to have feelings on this matter, but I honestly believe that we’re long overdue for a woman that can be 007’s ultimate challenge of duty.

And should any one from Amazon-MGM’s Bond team be reading, I’ve previously plead my case for why Lady Gaga should be a Bond villain. Although if we're going to work off of the list above, put me down for Team Emily Blunt. Should you disagree, there's no need to worry. We seem to have all the time in the world to discuss this, as Bond 26 is still pretty far off.

Getting on the list of best Christmas Movies is a tough task, and it feels rare that the public willingly admits one into that coveted territory despite studios offering up new movies every year. It's hard to quantify what makes a great holiday movie, especially when the list is as eclectic as emotional classics like It's A Wonderful Life and goofier stuff like Jingle All The Way. That said, I rewatched the 2023 release The Holdovers this holiday season with my Prime subscription, and I think it's worth including in this hallowed territory.

The 2023 dramedy received plenty of Oscar nominations following its release, and a year later, it deserves another accolade for being a holiday movie with incredible rewatch value. As readers check out the 2024 Christmas schedule and watch their favorites, I think this one deserves a watch.

The Holdovers Reminds Us That Not Every Christmas Is Great, But That's Ok

I'm sure we all remember the worst Christmas we ever had, and if you're like me, you don't like to dwell on it. The holiday season should be joyous, or at least that's the way it can make us feel sometimes. If you're someone not feeling it during the season, it can be a real drag and bring you down even more on a Blue Christmas.

The Holdovers leans into the bummer aspect of the holidays hard and zeroes in on three people who are forced to spend time together despite not really wanting to spend Christmas break with anybody. There's a kid abandoned by his mother and his step-father on their holiday, a grumpy teacher who never found love, and a grieving mother who lost her son recently.

There's no way around it, this is a sad Christmas movie, but some of the best of the genre are sad. It's A Wonderful Life, Jack Frost, The Holiday, the list goes on. I'll boldly state that if you're looking for a modern classic for Christmas that is also emotional and sad, this is the option. The Holdovers is as good as every Oscar nomination it received, and damn good, even if it is sad. The critics all agreed back when it was first released, this is worth watching.

Through The Sadness, It Hits On An Important Message Of The Holidays Worth Remembering

What makes up for the sadness and depressing moments in The Holdovers is that a beautiful message shines through. Even in the worst of times, Christmas can inspire even the most unlikely people to be decent to each other and help their fellow man.

There's something I really love about the chronically hungover asshole teacher trying his absolute best to make the holidays better for his disruptive, but bright student. He's slowly breaking down that barrier of being an educator who takes great pride in the rules and learning to see a student as a human being as opposed to a rich, privileged youth who never knew struggle in his life.

There's a very real transformation that happens in this movie between Paul Giamatti's Paul Hunham and Dominic Sessa's Angus Tully. Do these two bond on the level they did if they weren't forced to spend the holidays together driving each other crazy? The Holdovers leads us to believe so given their adversarial relationship at the start of the movie when he believes he'll be going home for Christmas break.

Fantastic Performances From Paul Giamatti And Da'Vine Joy Randolph Sends This Over The Top

Paul Giamatti and Da'Vine Joy Randolph both received Oscar nominations for The Holdovers, but Randolph's positive Oscar buzz for Mary turned into her onstage psyched about that big win. I think anyone who has seen it can confirm that it's well-deserved, as she captures the pain of being a grieving person during the holidays perfectly. Everyone can relate to that first Christmas without a loved one, and the closer they are to you, the harder it can be.

Paul Giamatti is one of those actors that before you even watch the movie, you know he's going to put on a helluva performance. He's been the pinnacle of consistency in Hollywood for years, and even if the script isn't great, he's on fire in whatever he's doing. When the script is good, and I've been clear enough that The Holdovers is good, something special happens there. I think this movie will ultimately go down as one of the most celebrated performances of his long career, and that's really saying something.

You also have to give it up for Dominic Sessa, whose career has really took off after The Holdovers. He's gone from being a relatively unknown actor in the industry to being picked to play the late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain for a biopic. Honestly, his Angus Tully is so great, you could've sworn you'd seen Sessa in something before. If his career takes off like I feel it might, this movie is going to be solidified even more as a classic.

If not for Sessa, Giamatti or Randolph, The Holdovers should live on as a Christmas classic. As I mentioned at the beginning of this, however, I'm not the person who can solely declare it. All I can be is a herald online speaking to its quality, and I hope that the masses start talking it up. Perhaps eventually, it'll start getting worked into to the television rotation of Christmas movies on yearly or get its on 24/7 marathon like A Christmas Story and others. Ok, maybe that's a bit ambitious, but I do think there are a lot more people who would love this movie if they took the plunge and checked it out.

Again, if you're looking to stream The Holdovers right now, you can stream over on Prime Video if you have an Amazon Prime subscription. It's worth getting one if you don't, seeing as the holidays are near and it's always nice to have a gift delivered as soon as possible.

We still have a lot of time to wait for the upcoming Star Trek series Starfleet Academy, but everything we've heard thus far sounds like it'll be worth it. Robert Picardo took some time away from production to talk about the show in an interview, and I can't help but wonder about one thing he said about Paul Giamatti.

The cast of Starfleet Academy is loaded with talent, including Oscar nominee and Trekkie Paul Giamatti. Picardo, who will return to Star Trek alongside other veterans of the franchise for the new show, spoke to TVO Today about the show, and made the following comment about the stacked lineup of actors:

Most people will look at that quote and find it innocent enough. Star Trek fans are a different breed, however, who latch on to the most minor details and speculate about them nonstop.

As such, I couldn't help but immediately clock Paul Giamatti being referred to as the Season 1 villain and what that could mean for Starfleet Academy. Here are a couple of the thoughts going through my head right now...

Will Paul Giamatti Leave Starfleet Academy After Season 1?

Robert Picardo referring to Paul Giamatti as the Season 1 villain has me wondering if this would mean there will be a new villain in Season 2. If that's the case, we'd have to assume Giamatti's character might not be around for future episodes beyond the inaugural season and written off the show.

Paul Giamatti doing Star Trek was a shock, mainly because of how much of an in-demand actor he is in Hollywood. He's working in television and movies and is fresh off a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his role in the critically acclaimed film The Holdovers.

I guess it's obvious, in hindsight, that his time in Starfleet Academy may be finite. We should be prepared for other actors, maybe someone like Katee Sackoff, to take his place just in case.

Will Paul Giamatti's Character No Longer Be A Villain?

Another possibility is that Paul Giamatti will remain with the show but transition out of being a villain. Character shifts like this aren't new in Star Trek, so I wouldn't be shocked for it to happen. While described as a villain, we also know that Giamatti's character has a loose connection to one of the cadets in Starfleet Academy.

My thinking is that while Giamatti may not be around Starfleet Academy quite as much after Season 1, there is always potential for a return via that one cadet character down the stretch. Of course, this could happen when he's still a villain, but I'd like to think he'd have to change his ways for the Starfleet student to still associate with them.

Whatever the case, I'm still just as stoked to be streaming Starfleet Academy with my Paramount+ subscription when it arrives sometime in early 2026. I hope I'm reading too much into things, and we'll get way more of Paul Giamatti than I'm currently expecting after this recent interview with Robert Picardo.

Earlier today, the world was saddened to hear the news that film legend Dame Maggie Smith is dead at age 89. With a legacy that stretches from stage to screen, there’s no doubt that her contributions to the world of acting are going to inspire fitting tributes to her passing.

In fact, we’re starting to see that at the moment, as members of the Downton Abbey cast, like Hugh Bonneville, as well as other notable co-stars such as Sister Act’s Whoopi Goldberg, have started to share their fondest wishes in light of this sad day.

Starting things off is the official Instagram account for Downton Abbey. The social media presence for the franchise Smith helped cultivate into a worldwide hit took the time to share the following sentiments, coupled with a beautiful picture of Dame Maggie Smith on set:

Further comments were provided to People, as official statements from several members of the Downton Abbey 3 cast spoke fondly of the woman known to the world as the Dowager Countess of Grantham, Violet Crawley. But as you’ll read in statements below, some of these fine people earned the great distinction to simply call her “Maggie”:

• "There was no one quite like Maggie. I feel tremendously lucky to have known such a maverick. She will be deeply missed and my thoughts are with her family." - Michelle Dockery
• “Anyone who ever shared a scene with Maggie will attest to her sharp eye, sharp wit and formidable talent. She was a true legend of her generation and thankfully will live on in so many magnificent screen performances. My condolences to her boys and wider family.” - Hugh Bonneville
• “...she was a genius and a delight. A privilege to be around her. The kind of actor who makes you proud to be an actor. And I’ll never forget how sweet she was to my 12-year-old son when he visited set.” - Paul Giamatti

Previous cast members from the show’s television incarnation were also on hand to share their own tip of the hat to the legacy of Dame Maggie Smith. And when it came to Dan Stevens’ Instagram story honoring his days on Downton Abbey, he also included the following recommendation for all fans of her work:

When reflecting on Dame Maggie Smith’s pivotal Downton Abbey casting a couple of years back, you could sense that series writer and creator Julian Fellowes also held a deep admiration for her body of work. Those feelings showed once again when Fellowes shared this statement of remembrance with THR:

The world of movies also suffered a loss today, which was shared by Sister Act star, and comedy legend, Whoopi Goldberg. Posting to her personal Instagram with an image of herself and Smith in costume on the set of what some consider one of the best ‘90s movies, Goldberg had this to say:

At the moment, only a few members of the cast of the Harry Potter movies have issued any official statements just yet. Ginny Weasley actress Bonnie Wright posted a lovely image of the McGonagall actress with this sweet statement:

Not too long after Ms. Wright's remembrance, a statement was provide to Variety by Daniel Radcliffe. In the Harry Potter star's own words, his memories actually spanned to a project before the cinematic adaptation of the best-selling book series. With intense gratitude, Radcliffe shared this:

As for the official social media presence for the Wizarding World, the parties in charge of that outlet have offered this fitting tribute to the woman who played Professor Minerva McGonagall:

Clearly, this is only the beginning of the collectively bittersweet remembrances that Dame Maggie Smith will inspire. But so far, everything we’ve heard lines up perfectly with the legend she cultivated throughout her storied career.

If you Downton Abbey fans would like to pay tribute by revisiting the Julian Fellowes series, all six seasons are currently being streamed through access to a Prime Video subscription. And if you are looking to watch Sister Act or the Harry Potter films, those can be found on Disney+ and Max, respectively.

In the vast sea of knowledge still left to enrich in the 2024 TV schedule, there are still some bummers we’re constantly reminded of. Such as the fact that Black Mirror Season 7 isn’t going to air until an unknown window in 2025. However, Netflix being the generous benefactor that it is, has released the absolutely stacked cast for the next batch of dystopian satire that’ll probably make us laugh, cry, and gasp in equal measure. And thanks to this announcement, I desperately want two specific actors in this upcoming round of anthology to go head to head in the same episode.

Behold, Black Mirror’s Stacked Season 7 Cast

I’m not being overly generous with that wording either, as not only is the latest roster Netflix has announced impressive, but it’s literally stacked into a list. Amidst the names of other personnel from the Black Mirror franchise are scattered names like Tracee Ellis Ross, Chris O’Dowd, and Emma Corrin. Take a look at this cryptic video for yourself, and see how many names you can pick out:

With all of those names in the Season 7 cast list, it’s hard to not want to see every one of them in one feature-length film set in the Black Mirror-verse. At the same time, though, this is a world that’s known for mostly contained stories that still pack the star power.

It’s that vein that now has me really wanting to see newcomers Paul Giamatti and Peter Capaldi face each other in a hypothetical episode for the ages.

Why A Potential Paul Giamatti And Peter Capaldi Black Mirror Episode Excites Me

I keep thinking back to the first time I saw Black Mirror’s “Beyond The Sea” ending, and how chilled to the bone I was after watching Aaron Paul and Josh Hartnett square off. That is one of the most memorable episodes, and it's one of the best examples of how this series’ darker corners offer the biggest payoff.

So to have Peter Capaldi and Paul Giamatti engaged in a similar sort of installment is practically candy at this point. Or, conversely, there’s room for a sillier, more lighthearted comedy to put the skills of these venerated performers to work.

Though I know Giamatti’s recent Hostel series casting will feed the Academy Award nominee’s demand to get more horror action, and Capaldi has already shown his darker side in previous series like The Devil’s Hour and Criminal Record. With those highlights in the equation, I’d be willing to venture a guess that a simultaneously scary and goofy entry might not be a bad idea for this potentially perfect pairing.

In which case, we just might see an upcoming star of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy and the Twelfth Doctor from Doctor Who show up in the long-teased “USS Callister” sequel that Cristin Milioti and Jimmi Simpson are presumably taking part in. And if you ask me, that’s a suggestion that only raises the stakes from exciting to can’t miss.

Though in all fairness, Black Mirror is one of those streaming series that I couldn’t see myself skipping out on, as Charlie Brooker’s sci-fi anthology has made a name for itself by bringing tales of futuristic caution to life with flare. This is why I must sadly remind us all that Black Mirror Season 7 is currently compiling, and will debut at an undetermined point in 2025.

In the meantime, all six previous seasons are currently available for streaming, provided you have an active Netflix subscription. And if you haven’t already, I highly recommend playing through the interactive episode “Bandersnatch,” as those Tuckersoft references throughout the latest cast announcement could be hiding something from that elusive in-universe company...and hopefully it has something to do with Capaldi and Giamatti working together.

Starfleet Academy is arguably the most exciting upcoming Star Trek series on the way, and a lot of that is thanks to the spectacular cast involved. We have Oscar winners, Emmy winners and people who rank among the best Trek characters of all time coming together to tell a story centered on the education system all members of Starfleet must go through to find their way to service.

From Holly Hunter to Robert Picardo, we'll travel down the list of big stars in this series, and also highlight the young actors that will almost surely go on to be in the future of Star Trek. Here's a breakdown of who we'll see in the new series, which takes place in the 32nd century, around the same timeframe as the final seasons of Star Trek: Discovery.

Holly Hunter

Starfleet Academy casting Holly Hunter was the first sign this series was seeking big names to bring in, and who better to announce first? The Academy Award-winning actress has a large body of work for readers to watch to prove she's up to the task of chancellor of the prestigious academy.

Paul Giamatti

Starfleet Academy delivered a one-two punch fresh off the casting of Holly Hunter by announcing an Emmy winner and Oscar nominee will also join the cast: Paul Giamatti. Not only is Giamatti has consistently been one of the top names in Hollywood in his career, but he's also a pretty big Star Trek fan. Word is he'll be playing a villainous role in this show, but we'll have to wait and see exactly what that means.

Tig Notaro

After wrapping up her time in Star Trek: Discovery, Jett Reno is joining Starfleet Academy as a series regular. This means we'll likely be seeing more of Jett than we did in Discovery, similar to when Miles O'Brien went from The Next Generation to Deep Space Nine. Jett is kind of a jack of all trades and will make for a great instructor, though I expect she'll be overseeing the future engineering crews of Starfleet.

Robert Picardo

Robert Picardo became one of Star Trek: Voyager's most beloved characters as the EMH, and he had a wonderful return arc in Prodigy Season 2. Being a hologram has its disadvantages, but one advantage is you can be around 1000 years into the future and no one bats an eye. Picardo will play his EMH/The Doctor as an instructor in the new series and bring a wealth of Starfleet knowledge along with him.

Mary Wiseman

In what was perhaps the most obvious addition to the cast of Starfleet Academy, Mary Wiseman will reprise her role from Star Trek: Discovery as Sylvia Tilly. It seemed obvious considering she had joined the Academy as an instructor in Discovery, and even had an episode with her cadets that felt like a backdoor pilot for the spinoff. Her role is recurring, so we'll likely see her as an instructor every so often, and maybe she'll welcome some old crewmates to the classroom as well. Hopefully now that the news is out, Wiseman can forgive us for putting her on the spot about the casting.

Oded Fehr

As the Fleet Admiral of Starfleet, it's of little surprise that Oded Fehr's Vance is going to be involved in Starfleet Academy. He's been one of the biggest faces of Starfleet we've seen in the 32nd century, and a way of showing what's happening in the universe at large while these students are training at the facility. Fehr is a great actor, so it'll be nice to see more of him in the Star Trek show.

Gina Yashere

Gina Yashere may not be a name Star Trek fans are familiar with, but she's been a big part of CBS primetime for a while. She was the co-creator and a supporting character on the acclaimed comedy sitcom Bob Hearts Abishola, and has had recurring guest roles on shows like The Neighborhood as well. Now she joins Starfleet Academy in an undisclosed role, and I'm wondering if it will be comedic given her past work.

Kerrice Brooks

Actress Kerrice Brooks is one to watch for Starfleet Academy. She's set to be a part of the Aubrey Plaza-led movie My Old Ass later this year, and is a dancer who has appeared in music videos for Kelly Rowland and Billie Eilish. Unfortunately, we know nothing about her incoming character, but I'd love to see her dancing skills incorporated into the cadet.

Bella Shepard

We don't know much about Bella Shepard's character in Starfleet Academy, but she's no stranger to appearing on a show available with a Paramount+ subscription. She played Blake Navarro in the canceled Sarah Michelle Gellar series Wolf Pack, and while the show didn't last long, Shepard left a strong enough impression to snag a role in the Star Trek series.

George Hawkins

George Hawkins joins Starfleet Academy as one of its hopeful cadets looking to make a splash and join a ship by the time his education ends. He's no stranger to a series centered around cadets, as he was part of the ITVX series Tell Me Everything. I can't wait to see him in this role and wonder what he may be doing.

Karim Diané

A couple years after appearing on the streaming series One Of Us Is Lying, Karim Diané is now on Starfleet Academy. There's no word as to what his role will be on the series, but considering he first rose to prominence in the United States through fame on the series X Factor, I would hope there's some singing involved in his performance. Who knows, maybe there's a species that exclusively communicates in song in the 32nd century?

Sandro Rosta

Newcomer to Hollywood Sandro Rosta was added to the cast of Starfleet Academy, and as is the case with everyone announced so far, we know nothing about his role. I did happen to find a short film of him bullying a puppet, however, and he looked very physically imposing? Could he be the jock archetype of the academy? 

Zoë Steiner

Zoë Steiner is rolling right off of a performance in Significant Others right into Starfleet Academy, and rounds out the list of cadets we'll see in this series. As if it needs to be said at this point we have absolutely no clue what she'll be doing beyond being one of the characters featured in the series, but I do hope that all of these cadets interact with each other in some meaningful way.

Starfleet Academy is getting ready to start filming, but we don't have a release date for it just yet. Stick with CinemaBlend as we wait for more details on the series and, of course, report on all the 2024 TV shows that people should watch in the meantime.

Every teacher I know has a side hustle. My second job (because yes, I am a teacher) is writing for this website. Hell, I’ve even written about movies teachers can relate to. But, at the time that I wrote that article, I hadn’t watched The Holdovers yet, which is now what I consider the greatest movie about the profession that I’ve ever seen. 

I’ve been an educator in an inner city school for 17 years now, so I’ve experienced a great deal in the classroom, including students who have grown up, gone off to college, and have even had children of their own. And now, it’s only a matter of time before I have these kids in one of my classes. So, why is The Holdovers the greatest movie about teaching that I’ve ever seen? Well, you’re about to find out.   

The Movie Shows Just How Draining Teaching Can Be After Years Of Service 

While I still think Godzilla Minus One was my favorite movie of 2023, I now think that The Holdovers is my second favorite movie of last year. This really surprises me, because even though I typically tend to love Alexander Payne (who reunited with Paul Giamatti for this one) movies, I wasn’t really expecting all that much out of The Holdovers, which is about a teacher who is stuck watching a handful of students during the Christmas break, only to emotionally connect with one of them, as well as the school’s lunch lady. 

Maybe I should have expected more. Our very own Alexandra Ramos thought it was her favorite movie out of the 10 Oscar nominees for 2024, and everybody who had seen it kept telling me how good it was, especially Paul Giamatti’s performance. 

However, I didn’t think the movie would hit me so hard emotionally, or that I would connect with it on such a visceral level, because this movie speaks to me as a teacher. Especially as one who’s been teaching for nearly two decades now. 

The look on Giamatti’s character’s face says it all. This is a man who is tired. Yes, he loves his job. It’s even pretty much his whole identity. But, at the same time, he’s seen so many faces, and witnessed so much apathy about the subject that he's been teaching over the years that he’s grown cynical and jaded. 

So much so that he can whistle “Ride of the Valkyries” while distributing F+’s and D-’s to his students, who NEED to pass his class in order to get into their precious Ivy League schools. 

And, look, I get it. Over the years, I’ve seen students care less and less about their education. It’s not that they don’t want to do well, as many of them do. It’s just that the process has changed dramatically. 

Technology has given them a lot of shortcuts, and they’ve grown into them to the point that they often don’t even understand why I’m always stressing “foundation, foundation, foundation,” over and over again. 

In a lot of ways, I’m so dead set in my ways that I sometimes forget that I have to adapt because that’s the world we’re living in now. Not the world 17 years ago, where students still had to take state tests using pen and paper. But, a world where students can easily just type up a whole essay using A.I.

I am Giamatti’s character, though way less stringent, and much more open to the possibilities of the future. But, man, is it tiring. So, I can definitely relate to his character, Paul Hunham. He’s pretty much my spirit animal, and this is already one of Paul Giamatti's best movies.  

It Also Shows That Just One Student Can Make It All Worth It 

Every teacher tells their students that they don’t have favorites, but that’s such a lie, because we definitely do. Lots of times, that favorite student is the smartest kid in the class. But sometimes, it’s the most creative. For example, one of my students knew I loved The Legend of Zelda, so she gave me a statue that she made of Link that I still have to this very day.

However, what’s really interesting is that sometimes, your favorite student isn’t the “best” kid in the class. It’s actually the one who many might consider to be the “worst.” 

This could happen for a number of reasons. Sometimes, you get to know them and realize just why they act the way they do. For example, you might get a glimpse into their home life, or how they’re treated in the hallways, and then, you get them. Hell, as cliche as it may sound, you might even see yourself in them, and that’s what Paul  sees in Dominic Sessa’s character, Angus Tully. He sees himself. 

Angus seems like a real pain in the ass, but he’s smart, and Paul knows that. But, when Paul gets “stuck” with him over the holidays, he comes to understand the pain and loneliness that he’s been going through. They even take the same depression medication. 

In the beginning of the film, Paul starts out a curmudgeon, but by the end of it, he’s a warm hearted man – to that one student, and it unlocks more about himself than he ever knew. Teaching can be a pain sometimes, but it can also be the most beautiful, rewarding profession in the world. Sometimes, all it takes is just one kid.  

The Movie Focuses More On The Teacher Than The Trade Itself  

Most teacher movies focus on the teacher, sure, but the main focus is usually on the act of teaching itself. For example, one of Richard Dreyfuss’s best movies, Mr. Holland’s Opus, has our protagonist growing almost spiritually because of the work he does with his students. Dangerous Minds is another example. The focus is almost primarily on the classroom, and the students within it. 

You can’t be a teacher without pupils. But, The Holdovers focuses more on the teacher himself rather than the students. We get to see Paul’s inner world, and how even when he’s away from campus, he’s still a teacher. 

Because you never really stop being an educator. Yes, when you go home to your family, you might be a parent first, but you’re still a teacher second. Case in point, when the kids go to bed, you’re probably grading papers. 

When you’re in the supermarket, you might buy something extra for your students. For example, my students LOVE Pop Tarts. Some of them have never even had them before (I know, right?!) until I give them to them. And, I just love that we see that aspect of being a teacher in this movie. You never really turn off being an educator. It’s in your heart. 

But In The End, It Ultimately Focuses More On The Human Aspect Rather Than The Teacher Aspect 

That said, every teacher is a human being first. This might be why The Holdovers is the greatest movie I’ve ever seen about the profession, because it shows that. 

Giamatti was probably the perfect choice for this role, as he’s always good at showing the flawed, human side of every character he embodies. Paul doesn’t relate well with others. He has a lazy eye, and he smells “like fish” because he has trimethylaminuria. He’s a perpetual bachelor (not by choice, though he’ll say he is), and the students hate his guts. 

Now, a lot of my own students like me, but the ones who don’t make fun of me for being short, or for being bald. Since I’m Black, and most of my students are also Black, they tend to rag on me, calling me all sorts of things that might make you blush.

But, this is only because they don’t see me as a person. They see me as their teacher, an authority figure, and so, every insult they hurl my way is fair game. 

It’s only when they actually get to know that I’m a person with feelings (who is willing to hear out their feelings) that they start to see the person behind the curriculum, and I love that this movie shows that every teacher is a human being with inner pain that goes way beyond the profession, but definitely feeds into it. 

So, what do you think? Are you also a teacher? If so, and you haven’t seen The Holdovers yet, then you should definitely see it. You won’t be disappointed. Class dismissed! 

Star Trek just can't stop attracting mega talents in Hollywood as of late, and it's pulled in another big name to join Oscar-winner Holly Hunter in Starfleet Academy. It looks like the franchise is breaking out the pocketbook for this show, as we now have confirmation that Paul Giamatti will join the cast of the series, which is centered around the school where Starfleet molds future talent. And, needless to say, I'm psyched that the Oscar nominee is joining the show.

The official X account for Star Trek announced that Paul Giamatti, who was an Oscar nominee and 2024 Golden Globe winner recently for his role in The Holdovers, will be a recurring guest star on the series. While concrete details on his character haven't been divulged, it's hinted that he'll take on a villainous role. But, suffice it to say, this is a big get for the Starfleet Academy series. As the show delivers another haymaker of a casting, here's why I'm so stoked to see him join the fold.

Paul Giamatti Is Another High-Profile Actor To Join Star Trek

If you're not excited about this casting, you likely haven't seen some of Paul Giamatti's best movies and shows. The fact that he's a recurring guest star is even more intriguing for me, especially after THR's reveal that he'll play a villain connected to one of the cadets. Giamatti is a top actor in Hollywood who has pitched awesome ideas for playing a Bond villain, so I would love to see him play someone dastardly in Trek.

The Man on the Moon alum can bring a lot to Starfleet Academy that fans would appreciate, in my humble opinion. He's capable of exuding both chaotic energy and gravitas to any role he has, which makes him perfect to play a character of almost any species. There's a part of me that thinks he'd make a great Ferengi but, given we don't know too much about any species in the 32nd century so far, I'll hold off on speculating. For now, I'm just thrilled to see him play a villain, as that feels like perfect casting.

Why I'm Thrilled To See Paul Giamatti Join Starfleet Academy

Beyond his abilities as an actor, there's another reason to be very excited about the Sideways star joining Star Trek. I already touched on the fact that Holly Hunter was pulled in to star in Starfleet Academy and, on top of that, Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh is locked to reprise Georgiou in the Section 31 movie.

There seems to be a clear intention on the part of the Star Trek franchise to pursue big names in Hollywood when casting roles. If that is indeed the case, I can't wait to see who ends up playing the younger cast in this promising series, which will pull back the curtain on a major part of the Starfleet process. (Ugh, can this series just go into production?) At present, here's hoping that Paul Giamatti and co. can deliver something special.

Starfleet Academy will begin production this summer, but an exact start date has not be confirmed. As you wait for updates, watch Star Trek shows with a Paramount+ subscription.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been around for more than a decade-and-a-half, and after 30-plus movies, TV shows, and specials, we’ve seen a ton of great actors play fan-favorite comic book heroes and villains. There are even actors who have played more than one character in the expansive franchise. But at the same time, there’s an even larger group of talented big-screen stars who haven’t donned a cape, mask, or spandex in the best Marvel movies. Here are 32 actors we still want to see in the MCU…

Ryan Gosling

For one reason or another, Ryan Gosling has yet to play a character in the MCU. One of the most talented and beloved actors of his time, the Barbie star would be perfect to play several characters ranging from Nova to Mr. Fantastic to even Earth-616’s Norman Osbourne if they wanted to have a younger actor take on the role of the famous Spider-Man villain. 

John David Washington

John David Washington has previously said he’d be open for an MCU role, and it’s probably going to happen sooner or later, considering the son of Oscar winner Denzel Washington is an incredibly talented and versatile actor. The Tenet and The Creator star has the range to handle just about everything thrown his way, be it as a villain or the next great Marvel hero.

Margot Robbie

It wouldn’t be all that surprising to see Margot Robbie join the list of actors to appear in the MCU at some point down the line, it’s just a matter of finding the right character for the beloved actress to play. There have been rumors about a Sue Storm role over the years, but Robbie would also be great playing villains like Lady Deathstrike.

Dev Patel

Dev Patel has established himself as one of the most interesting actors in Hollywood thanks to outstanding performances in movies like The Green Knight, Slumdog Millionaire, and his 2023 work with Wes Anderson. Watching the Lion star take on someone like Reed Richards or even Doctor Doom would be awesome, and he could honestly handle both.

Keanu Reeves

Throughout his career, Keanu Reeves has played iconic action characters like Johnny Utah, Neo, and John Wick. How cool would it be to see the eternally young actor join the MCU as someone like Dracula, Ghost Rider, or even Silver Surfer? We would even settle for a small voice role as a random one-off character.

Cillian Murphy

Cillian Murphy showing up in the MCU would be a massive get for the cinematic universe as it works towards the two upcoming Avengers projects, especially if he were to play Doctor Doom. While other actors would probably be better suited for the physicality of the iconic Marvel villain, Murphy would be perfect for the psychological aspects of the character. Add in his experience from playing Scarecrow in the Dark Knight trilogy and you have a perfect fit.

Vanessa Kirby

Vanessa Kirby has said in the past that it would be an honor to play Sue Storm, but the Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning actress could also handle a more sinister role if given the chance. Just imagine Kirby playing someone like Lady Death or even Black Cat if we get another Spider-Man movie.

Cynthia Erivo

How Cynthia Erivo hasn’t landed a role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is somewhere between a travesty and a mystery, because the multi-talented actor has everything you want in an actress to play your next comic book star. Just imagine the Harriet and Bad Times at the El Royale actress showing up as Storm whenever the X-Men are eventually introduced to the franchise. That would be electric to say the very least.

Antonio Banderas

Though Ant-tonio Banderas, Scott Lang’s ant in Ant-Man and the Wasp is already a thing in the MCU, the actor on which the flying arthropods was based has not had a chance to appear just yet. This needs to change and we need to see Antonio Banderas show up at some point down the road. He’s got the skills and intangibles to pull off someone as big as Galactus, a character comic book fans have been dying to see for years now.

LaKeith Stanfield

LaKeith Stanfield has been one of the more interesting actors of the past decade thanks to unforgettable roles in movies like Get Out, Judas and the Black Messiah, and The Book of Clarence, and the MCU would be better off if he joined the fray. There was talk in early 2024 of Stanfield replacing Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror, which could work, but he could also bring to life X-Men staples like Cyclopes or even Gambit.

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise flirted with the idea of playing Tony Stark way before Robert Downey Jr. rejuvenated his career in the MCU-launching Iron Man, but we never got to see the Top Gun: Maverick star play the iconic billionaire playboy philanthropist. Though it never came to fruition, we’d still love to see the Hollywood legend show up in the MCU, even if he only briefly played an alternate version of Iron Man.

Christoph Waltz

Christoph Waltz has played great villains in everything from the James Bond movies to Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds, but he’s never played a big bad in the MCU. That should change, sooner rather than later, and he could be a great fit for someone like Norman Osborn or Doc Ock if we get more Spidey movies. He has the charisma, skill, and look for either of those roles.

Jessica Chastain

Jessica Chastain showed up in X-Men: Dark Phoenix, but since that’s outside of the MCU (for now, anyway), she’s fair game. There’s been the Sue Storm talk over the years, but the Interstellar star could also take on someone like Jean Grey and try her luck with the Dark Phoenix character.

Alan Ritchson

Okay, imagine Alan Ritchson in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Doom. In addition to having a ridiculous physique, the Jack Reacher star can also be cerebral and mysterious, kind of like his character from Fast X. He would be a formidable foe, that’s for sure. And if not, we’d love to see Ritchson take on someone like Rhino or Juggernaut and breathe new life into those characters.

Pedro Pascal

There’s been a lot of talk about Pedro Pascal being the frontrunner for Reed Richards in the Fantastic Four’s eventual MCU debut, and that would be awesome. The star of The Mandalorian and The Last of Us has shown over the years that he has what it takes to lead a successful franchise, and he has enough talent and charisma to pay one of Marvel’s most iconic heroes.

Amber Midthunder

Amber Midthunder became a star-in-the-making after the 2022 release of Prey, and the star of the Predator spinoff prequel could very well make an impact in the MCU if given the opportunity. Lady Hellbender, Lyja, and Silver Fox are just three of the Marvel characters she would be well-suited to play.

Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington has long stayed out of the superhero realm, though he has made a career out of playing characters who are pretty much comic book characters. That being said, we’d love to see the two-time Oscar winner take on a role like Magento or Bahsenga, the warrior shaman who was the first to adopt the Black Panther mantel.

Emily Blunt

Her husband, John Krasinksi, has already appeared in the MCU, albeit briefly, as Reed Richards in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, so it wouldn’t be crazy to see Emily Blunt show up at some point, either for a similar-sized role or in a larger capacity. According to Deadline, the Oppenheimer star turned down a chance to play Black Widow in Iron Man 2 and was reportedly approached to play other famous characters in the years following. 

Gary Oldman

We’ve seen Gary Oldman play Jim Gordon masterfully in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, but the Academy Award-winning actor has yet to show up in the MCU. It would be so cool to see the legendary actor enter the fold as Dr. Xavier in the eventual X-Men movie, and it would be just as awesome to see him play a more villainous role like Mephisto or even Dracula, with the latter being a throwback to his turn in Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

Jesse Plemons

Jesse Plemons has been everywhere for the past few years. Well, everywhere besides the MCU. The Breaking Bad and Killers of the Flower Moon star has shared the screen with Marvel actors like Elizabeth Olsen, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Christian Bale over the years, and it’s only a matter of time before he follows suit and shows up as a comic book character. This guy has Sabretooth written all over him…

Paul Giamatti

Paul Giamatti has already been in Sony’s Marvel movies thanks to his portrayal of Rhino in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, but we’d love to see more of the beloved actor. It doesn’t have to be anything over-the-top like a mech suit, but instead something like a government official who tries to get in the Avengers’ way or is tempted by a big bad.

Glen Powell

Glen Powell has "superhero" written all over him. The Physique, the charm, the million-dollar smile, he has it all. It’s only a matter of time before someone swoops him up and makes him the next great comic book hero, and that someone could be Marvel. Nova, Cyclops, or even a young Magneto would be great fits for the Anyone But You star.

Tati Gabrielle

Since making her acting debut a decade ago, Tati Gabrielle has given commanding performances on shows like You, Kaleidoscope, and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, to name a few. The actress, who also has experience in video game adaptations like Uncharted and the upcoming Mortal Kombat 2, would be perfect for the MCU in the coming years, especially if she could land a role like Storm, Black Cat, or other fan-favorite characters.

Javier Bardem

Javier Bardem is an actor with an incredible skillset and the ability to play both nuanced and over-the-top characters, which would make him perfect for something in the MCU. The No Country For Old Men star would be a great fit for the iconic Galactus whenever the villain is introduced in the future.

Rosamund Pike

Rosamund Pike has played all manner of characters over the years, and that makes her a perfect fit for the MCU moving forward. Her dynamic range and ability to play both good and evil roles masterfully would be perfect for comic book staples like Emma Frost and Liandra Nermani, both of whom are tied to the X-Men franchise.

Lily Gladstone

Lily Gladstone became an overnight sensation upon the release of Killers of the Flower Moon, and rightfully so. We’re not saying it’s going to happen, but the Golden Globe-winning actress would be perfect in the MCU. Imagine Gladstone playing Indigenous characters like Silver Fox or Kushala.  

Iwan Rheon

Iwan Rheon technically appeared on Inhumans back in 2017, but this doesn’t mean we don’t want to see him show up in an MCU movie at some point in the future. The Game of Thrones actor, who didn’t appear in as many episodes as you’d think, played Maximus on the short-lived ABC series, so he could reprise his role or he could take on something new. However, it wouldn’t be nearly as intense as Ramsay Bolton.

Viola Davis

Viola Davis has already made her mark in the comic book world with her portrayal of Amanda Waller over in the DCEU, but this doesn’t mean she can’t jump over to the MCU and play an equally menacing character. The Oscar winner has already led a blockbuster with The Woman King, so she is more than capable of doing the same in a Marvel movie.

Naomie Harris

Naomie Harris has already shown up in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe with her portrayal of Shriek in Venom: Let There Be Carnage where she was crushed by a falling cathedral, but there’s no reason she couldn’t just play another version of the character in the MCU or take on a completely different role entirely.

Brendan Gleeson

Brendan Gleeson is appearing in Joker 2, and it would be really cool if the legendary actor also landed a role in the MCU somewhere down the road. The Harry Potter and The Banshees of Inisherin star would be perfect for a role if the Thor franchise is to continue, even if it meant voicing someone like Beta Ray Bill. 

Iko Uwais

Iko Uwais, star of the phenomenal Raid movies, has the acting ability and fighting skills to be a big hit in the MCU if given the chance. In the event this does happen, we’d hate for Uwais’ talents to be wasted like they were with his extremely small role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Daniel Day-Lewis

Three-time Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis retired after 2017’s Phantom Thread, but we’d love to see him step in front of the camera again in an MCU movie. The There Will Be Blood and Gangs of New York star would be a killer option for a character like Galactus and drink up all the planets like a big milkshake.

Who knows if we’ll see any of these actors show up in any of the upcoming Marvel movies, but with the way the MCU has shown us over the years, don’t count anyone out.

Oscar "snubs" have become the talk of the town this week following the announcement of the 2024 Academy Award nominations on Tuesday, January 23.  Movie fans—including, oddly, Stephen King—are irritated over those Barbie slights (including Greta Gerwig being oddly left out of the Best Director category), that total May December shutout (including Charles Melton's extraordinary supporting work), and the fact that presumed Best Actor frontrunner Leonardo DiCaprio completely missed in that category. 

Instead, this year's Best Actor's race seems to be an ironic switcheroo from the 2005 Oscars, when one of Paul Giamatti's most acclaimed performances was snubbed in favor of other nominees, including DiCaprio. Now, Leo's MIA in the Best Actor category, but Giamatti is in for his role as strict boarding-school teacher in Alexander Payne's The Holdovers.

DiCaprio, who reunited with his frequent collaborate Martin Scorsese for the haunting historical drama Killers of the Flower Moon, was thought to be an Oscar shoo-in for his role as Ernest Burkhart. Many cinephiles even predicted that the trophy would be a battle between Leo and his Inception co-star Cillian Murphy, who leads Oppenheimer as the titular "father of the atom bomb." Instead—in a category that also includes Maestro's Bradley Cooper, Rustin's Colman Domingo and American Fiction's Jeffrey Wright—it's looking like Murphy's main opponent come Oscar night will be Giamatti.

It's a change of luck for Giamatti who 19 years ago, after winning at the Independent Spirit Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards, was shockingly passed over for a Best Actor nomination at the Oscars for his critically acclaimed work in yet another Payne collaboration: the wistful, wine-sloshed drama Sideways. (The actor would receive a Supporting Actor nod for Cinderella Man a year later.)

The category lineup included Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda), Johnny Depp (Finding Neverland), Clint Eastwood (Million Dollar Baby), eventual winner Jamie Foxx (Ray) and, yes, Leonardo Dicaprio for The Aviator. At the time, Giamatti was cheeky about the Sideways snub, self-deprecatingly telling The New York Post in 2006: 

However, the actor was seemingly more earnest about the possibility of a nomination this time around. Giamatti told The Associated Press back in December: 

That possibility became reality on Tuesday, with not only Giamatti scoring a nomination for The Holdovers but also his co-star Da’Vine Joy Randolph (for Best Supporting Actress), writer David Hemingson (Original Screenplay), editor Kevin Tent (Film Editing) and the film itself for Best Picture. You can catch Giamatti's now Oscar-nominated performance by streaming The Holdovers with a Peacock subscription. 

And though, sadly, Leonardo DiCaprio didn't get individual recognition this year, the Killers of the Flower Moon crew has plenty of reasons to celebrate: the film received a whopping 10 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Lily Gladstone, Best Supporting Actor for Robert De Niro and Best Director for Martin Scorsese. See for yourself if you think Leo deserved that Oscar snubbing by tuning into Killers of the Flower Moon, now available to view with an Apple TV+ subscription. 

How many times have you watched an incredible acting performance and looked up to see how many awards it won only to find out that the Oscar went to someone else that year? It’s shocking how many times this has happened over the years for some of the greatest actors and actresses of all time. Here are 32 times an incredible performance didn’t win an Academy Award for one reason or another.

Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction)

Though he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction, Samuel L. Jackson’s name wasn’t called at the 67th Academy Awards. This is nothing against Martin Landau’s performance from Ed Wood, but Jackson’s foul-mouthed and righteous hitman is an all-time great character that should have been recognized.

Robert De Niro (Taxi Driver)

Robert De Niro received an Oscar nomination for his career-defining portrayal of Travis Bickle in Martin Scorsese’s 1977 psychological thriller, Taxi Driver, but the unhinged and memorable performance wasn’t enough to win Best Actor. It’s hard to be mad, as Peter Finch’s Academy Award-winning turn in Network is the stuff of legend.

Harrison Ford (Witness)

One of the best actors without an Oscar, Harrison Ford has only one Academy Award nomination to his name, the 1985 crime thriller, Witness. Though not Ford’s most iconic character, his take on Philadelphia detective John Book as he goes to great lengths to protect a young boy is nothing short of amazing.

Morgan Freeman (The Shawshank Redemption)

Morgan Freeman gave the performance of a lifetime as Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding in The Shawshank Redemption. If the movie would have come out any other time besides 1994, a year dominated by Forrest Gump, there’s a good chance the aging prisoner and accomplished smuggler would have earned Freeman an Oscar.

Bill Murray (Lost In Translation)

Bill Murray’s portrayal of cynical, washed-up actor Bob Harris in Lost in Translation will forever be one of the comedian’s most beloved roles. While Sean Penn’s performance in Mystic River is more than deserving of an Oscar, it’s a shame the iconic comedian didn’t get properly recognized for a once-in-a-decade showing.

Whoopi Goldberg (The Color Purple)

Whoopi Goldberg showed off a more dramatic side with her lauded portrayal of Celie Harris-Johnson in Steven Spielberg’s 1985 adaptation of The Color Purple. It’s absurd that the emotional, dynamic, and powerful performance didn’t win Goldberg a much-deserved Oscar, which went to Geraldine Page in The Trip to Bountiful, instead.

Ralph Fiennes (Schindler's List)

Schindler’s List features one of the best Ralph Fiennes performances with his portrayal of Nazi work camp commandant Amon Goeth in Steven Spielberg’s 1993-defining film. And while the movie won seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Fiennes’ unforgettable turn was not among them. Instead, he lost out to Tommy Lee Jones from The Fugitive.

Dustin Hoffman (Tootsie)

If you’re looking for one of the best New York City movies, Tootsie has you covered. If you’re looking for a movie featuring an acting performance that should have won an Oscar but didn’t, Sydney Pollack’s 1982 comedy has you covered there as well. Seriously, how Dustin Hoffman’s portrayal of Michael Dorsey wasn't awarded is something we just don’t get.

Denzel Washington (Malcolm X)

Denzel Washington eventually won a Best Actor Oscar for his unforgettable turn in Training Day, but the actor was robbed nearly a decade earlier after not winning the big prize for his take on the titular Civil Rights leader in Spike Lee’s Malcolm X.

Florence Pugh (Little Women)

Florence Pugh was already a rising star at the time of Little Women’s release, but her portrayal of Amy March in Greta Gerwig’s coming-of-age drama took her to new heights. Though she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars, Pugh lost out to Laura Dern from Marriage Story.

Jamie Foxx (Django Unchained)

Here’s something wild to think about – Jamie Foxx not only didn’t win an Oscar for his performance in Django Unchained, he wasn’t even nominated for Best Actor. Admittedly, it was a stacked list of actors – Daniel Day-Lewis, Bradley Cooper, Hugh Jackman, Joaquin Phoenix, and Denzel Washington – but not even being named is just something.

Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

The Wrestler felt like Mickey Rourke’s big redemption arc, more so than the character he portrayed in Darren Aronofsky’s great wrestling movie. Despite pushing himself to the breaking point from both a physical and emotional standpoint, Rourke lost out to Sean Penn’s take on Harvey Milk in Milk.

Michael Keaton (Birdman)

Michael Keaton gave the performance of a lifetime in the 2014 mind-bending drama film, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), one that seemed to channel the actor’s past in such a way it felt like an autobiography. However, stealing the show as Riggan Thomson, a.k.a., Birdman, wasn’t enough, as the prize went to The Theory of Everything’s Eddie Redmayne instead.

Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird)

Saoirse Ronan has been nominated for an Oscar on four separate occasions, but not a single win, which is something. One of the performances that deserved an Academy Award the most was that of Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson in Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird. The portrayal of a confused high school senior on the verge of entering the next stage in her life lost out to Frances McDormand in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Tim Curry (Clue)

Tim Curry’s portrayal of Wadsworth in Clue, a butler or undercover FBI agent depending on which ending you watch, is a role that is beloved by fans of the classic murder mystery comedy. However, it wasn’t recognized at the Academy Awards or other ceremonies, which is the real crime.

Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl)

Rosamund Pike’s take on Amy Elliott-Dunne earned the sole Academy Award nomination for David Fincher’s Gone Girl, a nod that was more than deserved. However, the incredibly nuanced and dynamic performance failed to win the Best Actress Oscar, which went to Still Alice’s Julianne Moore instead.

Jimmy Stewart (Rear Window)

Jimmy Stewart is one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors of all time and his portrayal of L. B. "Jeff" Jefferies in Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window is one of the his top-tier performances. However, his take on an injured photographer who uncovers a murder mystery didn’t even get a nod at the Academy Awards.

Kate Winslet (Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind)

Kate Winslet gave one of her most powerful and unique performances in the 2004 sci-fi dramedy, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Her take on Clementine Kruczynski, a woman who had all memories of her ex-boyfriend wiped from her brain, was rich, beautiful, and iconic, but just wasn’t enough to win Best Actress.

Al Pacino (The Godfather)

Al Pacino put himself on the map with his portrayal of reluctant crime boss Michael Corleone in The Godfather. The gradual evolution of the character over the course of the film’s three-hour runtime should have been enough for an Oscar, but like co-stars James Caan and Robert Duvall, who were also nominated for Best Supporting Actor, he didn’t get the win.

Gloria Swanson (Sunset Boulevard)

Gloria Swanson’s "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up." line from Sunset Boulevard is one of the most iconic quotes in all of Hollywood and part of an Oscar-worthy performance. While Swanson was nominated for her take on aging film star Norma Desmond, she didn’t take home the top prize.

Jack Nicholson (The Shining)

Though considered one of Jack Nicholson’s best roles, his portrayal of Jack Torrance in The Shining didn’t result in an Oscar win. In fact, Nicholson wasn’t even nominated for the unforgettable performance. 

John Cazale (The Godfather Part II)

John Cazale’s Fredo Corleone in The Godfather Part II is one of cinema’s great tragic figures as well as one of the late actor’s best characters. What’s even more of a travesty is the fact that the late actor didn’t even receive an Oscar nomination for his efforts. Tragically, Cazale would never receive an Academy Award nomination prior to his shocking death in 1978.

Angela Bassett (What's Love Got To Do With It?)

Angela Bassett received her first Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Tina Turner in What’s Love Go to Do with It?, but the miraculous turn as one of American music’s most famous and influential figures didn’t earn her a Best Actress win. 

Edward Norton (American History X)

Reformed neo-Nazi Derek Vinyard is one of Edward Norton’s most controversial and complex characters of his career, and the American History X performance earned him a Best Actor nod at the 71st Academy Awards. However, Roberto Benigni from Life Is Beautiful ran away with the top acting prize.

Ingrid Bergman (Casablanca)

Somehow, Ingrid Bergman, who was astonishing as Ilsa Lund in Casablanca, not only didn’t win Best Actress at the 16th Academy Awards, she wasn’t even nominated for her iconic portrayal of a woman caught between two men and two different lives in the 1943 black-and-white classic.

Paul Giamatti (Sideways)

In a perfect world, Paul Giamatti would have won the Oscar for Best Actor in Alexander Payne’s Sideways, but alas, that is not the reality in which we live. Miles Raymond is one of Giamiatti’s best characters and carried the movie about two friends on a wine trip they’ll never forget.

Henry Fonda (12 Angry Men)

An amazing courtroom drama, 12 Angry Men is still arguably one of the best movies of all time. While its star, Henry Fonda, received a Best Picture nomination as a producer, his dynamic and rich portrayal of a juror who insisted on getting things right didn’t earn him an acting nod, which is a real miscarriage of justice.

John Goodman (The Big Lebowski)

You can add John Goodman to the list of great actors who have never received an Oscar nomination, which just doesn’t make sense. It’s especially maddening when you consider his legendary portrayal of Walter Sobchak in The Big Lebowski, a character loosely based on John Milius, per Far Out Magazine.

Joaquin Phoenix (Walk The Line)

Joaquin Phoenix has since won an Oscar, but his portrayal of Johnny Cash in James Mangold’s 2005 biographical drama, Walk the Line, was more than deserving of the top acting prize at the Academy Awards. What’s interesting is the fact that Phoenix was beat by his future The Master co-star, the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, who won for his take on Truman Capote in Bennett Miller’s Capote.

Ellen Burstyn (Requiem For A Dream)

A little more 25 years after winning an Academy Award for Best Actress thanks to her outstanding performance in Martin Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Ellen Burstyn had another shot at capturing an Oscar with her turn as Sara Goldfarb in Requiem for a Dream. Her take on a woman battling unchecked depression, anxiety, and a diet of weight loss pills gave audiences one of the most incredible and sympathetic characters of the early 21st century. Unfortunately, this also happened to be the same year Erin Brockovich was released. 

Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood)

There Will Be Blood is remembered more than a half-decade after its release because of the Academy Award-winning performance by Daniel Day-Lewis, but one of the three-time Oscar winner’s castmates was also deserving of recognition. Paul Dano’s Eli Sunday (he also played the smaller part of Eli’s twin brother, Paul) is one of the more fascinating characters of modern cinema, and he should have received an Oscar for his troubles. Dynamic is an understatement for this overzealous, petty, and temperamental preacher.

Robert Shaw (Jaws)

Steven Spielberg’s 1975 summer blockbuster, Jaws, won three Academy Awards – Best Filming Editing, Best Original Dramatic Score, and Best Sound – but Robert Shaw, who acted his tail off as the boat captain, Quint, wasn’t recognized. This shameful act by the Academy, especially after watching the USS Indianapolis monologue, still stings nearly 50 years after the fact. That scene alone deserved a Best Supporting Actor nomination and win.

Many of these actors won an Academy Award either before or after these movies and performances we just covered, but it’s just wild to think about how some of these roles didn’t take home the big prize at the Oscars.

Paul Giamatti is one of those actors who always kills it on the big screen. Whether appearing in prestigious award-winning films, raunchy comedies, or even legendary kids movies, the award-winning actor is always firing on all cylinders, and more times than not is the most interesting person in any given scene. 

Over the years, I’ve been obsessed with the incredible character actor, and after spending the better part of the past few decades watching him go from having small yet scene-stealing roles in movies like Saving Private Ryan to winning a Golden Globe for his work in The Holdovers, and everything in between, I’ve put together a list of the best Paul Giamatti movies and how to watch them…

The Holdovers (2023)

A cranky and unlikable teacher, a rebellious student with nowhere to go, and a school cook grieving her recently deceased son are forced to spend the holiday break together at a New England boarding school, learning a great deal about each other, and themselves, in the process.

Why it is one of Paul Giamiatti’s best movies: Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers could very well become a staple of Christmas movie marathons, it’s that good. All of the characters, especially Giamatti’s chronically hungover Paul Hunham, shine and grow throughout this two-hour dramedy, as does the audience.

Stream The Holdovers on Peacock.
Buy The Holdovers on Amazon.
Buy The Holdovers on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Sideways (2004)

When Miles Raymond (Paul Giamatti) takes his best friend, Jack Cole (Thomas Hayden Church), on a wine-tasting trip before tying the knot, he has no idea that the getaway will end in total disaster for everyone involved.

Why it is one of Paul Giamiatti’s best movies: How Giamatti didn’t win an Oscar for his portrayal of a prickly struggling writer and wine enthusiast in Alexander Payne’s Sideways is still a mystery nearly 20 years later. The way he brings the depressed and on-the-edge character to life with so much life and nuance is a masterclass in acting.

Stream Sideways on Peacock.
Rent/Buy Sideways on Amazon.
Buy Sideways on DVD on Amazon.

Straight Outta Compton (2015)

A group of Los Angeles rappers change not only the face of hip hop but also pop culture as a whole when they team up and take the world by storm as N.W.A. 

Why it is one of Paul Giamiatti’s best movies: When I heard Giamatti was cast to portray Jerry Heller in F. Gary Gray’s Straight Outta Compton, I knew he was going to kill it as N.W.A.’s shady manager and one of the most notorious figures in the music industry. He perfectly captures the “shake your hand while stabbing you in the back” essence of the businessman who helped build and tear apart the group.

Stream Straight Outta Compton on Hulu.
Rent/Buy Straight Outta Compton on Amazon.
Buy Straight Outta Compton on Amazon.

Cinderella Man (2005)

A washed-up ex-boxer is given a shot at redemption and the chance for a better life upon stepping back into the ring. But success in sport can’t always fix everything, as he soon finds out.

Why it is one of Paul Giamiatti’s best movies: Giamatti is tour de force in his portrayal of Joe Gould, the manager and friend of Russell Crowe’s James J. Braddock in Cinderella Man. Giamatti pretty much steals every scene in this great boxing movie.

Stream Cinderella Man on Prime.
Rent/Buy Cinderella Man on Amazon.
Buy Cinderella Man on DVD on Amazon.

The Ides Of March (2011)

In the heat of a bitterly contested presidential primary, a young and idealistic campaign manager learns the hard way that all is fair in love and war.

Why it is one of Paul Giamiatti’s best movies: George Clooney’s The Ides of March is full of heavy hitters like Philip Seymour Hoffman, Marisa Tomei, Jeffrey Wright, and Ryan Gosling as Stephen Meyers. However, it’s Paul Giamatti as rival Tom Duffy who steals the show in this intense and untrusting political thriller.

Stream The Ides of March on Max.
Rent/Buy The Ides of March on Amazon.
Buy Ides of March on Blu-ray on Amazon.

American Splendor (2003)

Despite not having great artistic ability, Havey Pekar (Paul Giamatti) uses his unique voice and friendship with legendary artists to kickstart a career in the comic industry, which he then helps revolutionize.

Why it is one of Paul Giamiatti’s best movies: American Splendor is a biopic like no other, as it is one part feature film and one part documentary featuring the real Harvey Pekar. This doesn’t take away from Giamatti’s portrayal of the underground artist. In fact, this fresh take makes it arguably the best comic book movie of all time.

Stream American Splendor on Max.
Rent/Buy American Splendor on Amazon.
Buy American Splendor on DVD on Amazon.

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

In the middle of the Allied assault on Nazi-controlled France, a small group of soldiers is tasked with finding and bringing home a young G.I. so that his mother doesn’t lose all four of her sons in the war.

Why it is one of Paul Giamiatti’s best movies: Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan is one of the best war movies ever made, as well as one of Paul Giamatti’s greatest performances. Giamatti’s war-weary sergeant is only in one scene, but those couple minutes of screen time are pure brilliance.

Stream Saving Private Ryan on Paramount+.
Rent/Buy Saving Private Ryan on Amazon.
Buy Saving Private Ryan on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Illusionist (2006)

When a popular magician starts a new show where he purportedly summons the spirit of his murdered lover, a tenacious police inspector attempts to get to the bottom of the mystery.

Why it is one of Paul Giamiatti’s best movies: Neil Burger’s The Illusionist is a fun and twisty mystery that you don’t fully grasp until the very end, right around the same time Giamatti’s tireless detective figures it out. This, combined with Edward Norton and Jessica Biel’s performances, make it one to check out. 

Stream The Illusionist on Peacock.
Rent/Buy The Illusionist on Amazon.

12 Years A Slave (2013) 

After being tricked, kidnapped, and sold into slavery, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor) endures 12 years of pain, suffering, and torture as he tries to survive and make it back home to his family.

Why it is one of Paul Giamiatti’s best movies: Though Paul Giamatti’s Theophilus Freeman is far from being a likable person in Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave, his brief time in the movie adds so much to Solomon’s struggle. 

Rent/Buy 12 Years a Slave on Amazon.
Buy 12 Years a Slave on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Man On The Moon (1999)

The life, times, and legend of the late Andy Kaufman are explored in great detail in the Jim Carrey-led 1999 biopic, Man on the Moon.

Why it is one of Paul Giamiatti’s best movies: Jim Carrey lost himself while playing Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon, but Giamatti is grounded throughout with his great portrayal of the late comedian’s longtime friend, Bob Zmuda. Less colorful than his co-star, Giamatti gives one of the great straight-man performances of his career.

Rent/Buy Man on the Moon on Amazon.
Buy Man on the Moon on Blu-ray on Amazon.

While we don’t yet know what the future has in store for Paul Giamatti or if we’ll see him play a Bond villain, there are some great 2024 movie releases on the way to hold us over in the meantime. 

Paul Giamatti is a force of nature as an actor, as we’ve seen throughout performances like that of his central role in the 2023 movie release The Holdovers. When the man sets his mind to a role, it’s usually a good sign that he’s ready to bring the heat, and it's hard to argue with the results. So when Giamatti recently revealed his idea for playing a villain in the James Bond movies, it appealed to me as a fan of both the actor himself, that franchise and his proposed approach. I really hope the producers are listening to his big pitch, as the Roger Moore era energy could be something the series really needs in the near future.

What Would Be Paul Giamatti’s Ideal Bond Villain?

During GQ’s recent video interview with esteemed actor, he ran through his vast variety of roles from his impressive resume. There was even a fun story about how Mr. Giamatti’s dedication to Planet of the Apes saw him jokingly threaten to “fucking kill” his agents if he wasn’t allowed to play an Ape.

But just as the conversation was ending, Paul Giamatti was asked how he’d play a 007 heavy, as it’s apparently another goal of his. With that question lingering in the air, the Sideways actor had fun and dug in to provide these notes: 

Reading the star's notes above has me recalling one role in particular that he reflected on in this same interview: The Amazing Spider-Man 2’s Rhino. I honestly feel we were robbed by not seeing more Paul Giamatti goodness, especially since he wasn’t asked to return for Spider-Man: No Way Home. Bringing that to the table against whomever the next Commander Bond actor is feels perfect, especially when all of the hallmarks are there for a Moore era maniac. 

With such ingredients as exaggerated accent work, crazy wardrobe, and an urge to kill, that seems like the recipe for Mickey Rourke's Iron Man 2 adversary, Ivan "Whiplash" Vanko, as well as a villain from Roger Moore’s James Bond movies. That might be what we need in the future of the 007 franchise, as fans have been hinting at wanting some more cheek in this storied spy saga.

Why Roger Moore Era Energy Could Be What The Next 007 Run Needs

Something I’ve seen in the wake of Daniel Craig’s 007 films is that some devotees are over the uber-serious nature it exuded. We’re almost 20 years past the moment that Casino Royale reinvented Bond as a tragic hero in the way of the laughable Die Another Day, and it seems like the pendulum is swinging back in favor of Sir Roger’s wryly humorous take. So why not lean into that notion, and with gusto?

The Daniel Craig movies gave us a modern take on how movies like On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and more of the other grounded 007 stories would look today. So why wouldn’t fans want to see something like The Spy Who Loved Me or Moonraker adapted and improved for the here and now? 

The ability to cast an actor like Paul Giamatti to fully embrace that madness with his expertise seems like the icing on the cake, as we could get another Shoot ‘em Up style role out of the deal. And no matter what anyone thinks of that chaotic Clive Owen-starring caper, you can’t argue against Giamatti pulling some serious Bond villain vibes in that picture. Take a look at this brief moment from Shoot ‘em Up and see for yourself: 

If we’re heading to the second coming of Roger Moore’s James Bond, then it seems the world has the perfect villain to start it all off. While it’s tempting to take Paul Giamatti’s remarks as a call for a new, sillier Blofeld, I do hope that if the EON Productions brass are listening, they resist that call. 

The veteran performer's got a vision here, and the last thing anyone would want is to pigeon hole it into an existing figure. Also, could you imagine the grumbling that might occur if we were getting “Blofeld again?” No Bond villain ever wants to be spoken of in those sorts of tones. 

Sadly, we’re still playing in the realm of “what if” here, as there’s no clear direction for how, when, and where James Bond will return. That being said, if you want to see what Paul Giamatti has been up to, The Holdovers is currently streaming for those of you with a Peacock subscription. And if you listen closely, there is a 007 reference dropped in the first act by actor Dominic Sessa. Also, keep your eyes peeled on the 2024 movie schedule in case a Giamatti flick lands there.

Before and after his conflicts with Electro and Green Goblin, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 saw Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker dealing with Paul Giamatti’s Aleksei Sytsevich, an over-the-top Russian gangster who officially became The Rhino by the end of the movie. The final moments of the Amazing Spider-Man film series saw Peter and Aleksei about to go to battle, but we never the villain again since two years later, Tom Holland’s Spider-Man was introduced to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Ahead of The Amazing Spider-Man 2’s 10th anniversary in 2024, Giamatti reflected on his time playing Rhino, as well as discuss whether he was approached for the scrapped Sinister Six spinoff and Spider-Man: No Way Home.

The actor talked about this portion of his resume while appearing on Happy Sad Confused to promote his new movie The Holdovers, which critics have greatly enjoyed. To start off with, Giamatti summarized his experience working on The Amazing Spider-Man 2 to host Josh Horowitz as follows:

When we first met Aleksei Sytsevich at the beginning of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, he was merely a common criminal who attempted to steal a shipment of Oscorp plutonium with his cronies, only to be foiled by the Web-Slinger. It wasn’t until the mysterious Gustav Fiers gave Aleksei access to that mechanized rhino suit on Harry Osborn’s orders that he upped his game, resulting in Garfield’s Peter coming out of his temporary retirement to confront him. While the end of the fight was never shown, we can safely assume that Spider-Man emerged the victor.

Had the Amazing Spider-Man franchise continued, among the ways this universe was going to expand was through Sinister Six, and it was believed that Paul Giamatti’s Rhino was going to be one of the members of the title team. However, Giamatti shared that no one ever approached him about this particular project, saying:

While there were no more Amazing Spider-Man-related movies after the 2014 entry, that didn’t mark the end of this continuity. In 2021, Spider-Man: No Way Home featured Andrew Garfield’s Peter, Jamie Foxx’s Electro and Rhys Ifan’s Lizard all being pulled into the main MCU universe thanks to a spell cast by Doctor Strange gone bad. When Josh Horowitz said he “felt” for Paul Giamatti that he wasn’t brought back for No Way Home, the actor sounded just fine with not being asked to return. As he put it:

Paul Giamatti’s time as The Rhino is done, but we’ll soon meet a new version of this villain thanks to Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. Kraven the Hunter, one of the upcoming movies in this franchise, stars Alessandro Nivola as Aleksei Sytsevich, and while we haven’t gotten a full look at him in his Rhino form yet, the super bloody Kraven trailer teased that the character will transform into some kind of rhino/human hybrid. It’s not quite the same as what Giamatti was talking about, but it’s certainly closer to the source material compared to The Amazing Spider-Man 2’s robot Rhino.

If you’re interested in revisiting Giamatti’s brief time in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, that movie can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription. After that, you can see where it lies on our ranking of Spider-Man movies, or if you’d rather shift your gaze to the future, the 2024 movies calendar is available for perusal.

Writer/director Alexander Payne joins the show to discuss his new movie “The Holdovers,” starring Paul Giamatti. He dives into some early moments of his career, reuniting with Giamatti nearly 20 years after “Sideways,” and more. 

Stick around after the interview for our review of the film, and we finally catch up on some movies and TV we’ve missed throughout the year.

Timestamps (approx. only)

• 00:00:00 - Intro 
• 00:11:41 - Interview | Alexander Payne
• 00:40:33 - Review | ‘The Holdovers’
• 00:51:44 - Review | David Fincher’s ‘The Killer’
• 01:06:25 - Outro

Want More ReelBlend?

Sign up for our premium membership, which includes a bi-weekly newsletter from Sean, and ad-free episodes. Also, be sure to subscribe to ReelBlend on YouTube for full episodes of the show in video form. Finally, we have all kinds of fun merchandise for dedicated Blenders to flaunt their fandom with pride.

Oscar-winning cinema legend Alexander Payne and Paul Giamatti have reunited! The Holdovers is getting a resounding nod of approval from critics. Perhaps coincidentally, it’s yet another thoughtful movie about depression, thematically similar to their first project together, 2004’s Sideways. According to Giamatti, his characters in the Payne films also have quite a bit in common, specifically their gnarly hangovers.

Both Sideways’ Miles and The Holdovers’ Paul are fans of boozin’, with Miles being a notorious wine “connoisseur” and Paul numbing his pain with whisky. I recently caught up with Paul Giamatti to talk about The Holdovers, and when I asked if he intentionally played both characters as having a certain level of anxiety following the previous night’s party, he admitted that they did, but also that one character had it slightly worse due to an additional affliction:

I had to ask! One can only wonder how the process of getting into character is affected knowing that you’re meant to be dehydrated and miserable, and both characters are daily bingers. Paul Hunham had an additional layer of discomfort, as he’s a smoker, which means Paul Giamatti was a smoker too. There was no faking it with this one, and Giamatti picked up smoking pipe tobacco, which was reminiscent to him of a time when such behavior was the norm. You can check out a video of that part of our conversation at the top of this article, and the pipe is just the beginning of The Holdovers details he revealed. 

There would generally be nothing surprising about the fact that Alexander Payne and Paul Giamatti would want to reunite after the massive cult-like success of Sideways, if it weren’t for the fact that the film was released almost 20 years ago, and they haven’t collaborated since. Since then, the two have had massive success on their own, and there’s no time like the present! Even if Paul Giamatti was nursing hypothetical hangovers, and had a gnarly case of “throat burn.”

Not only are critics in agreement about The Holdovers, as previously mentioned, but it might just be the first film this year to give you all of the warm holiday feels. It’s still in theaters right now, so go check it out for yourself! While the 2023 movie release schedule is coming to an end, we have plenty to look forward to coming to theaters in 2024!

Back in 2004, Paul Giamatti and Alexander Payne teamed up for one of the best movies of the 2000s, Sideways, which earned several Academy Award nominations and a win for Payne’s Best Adapted Screenplay. Nearly 20 years later, the two have come together again for The Holdovers, which has been garnering Oscar buzz since making the festival rounds at Toronto and Telluride ahead of its limited release in October. Now the Christmas drama is hitting theaters around the country, and critics are raving about the coming-of-age holiday flick. 

The Holdovers centers around a teacher, student and cook in the 1970s who form an unlikely bond while staying at their New England boarding school over a two-week winter break. Alongside Paul Giamatti as the strict history professor Paul Hunham, Dominic Sessa makes his feature film debut as the rebellious student Angus Tully. Da'Vine Joy Randolph plays Mary Lamb, the cook who has suffered the loss of her son. Let’s see what the critics say, starting with Emily Murray of GamesRadar. The critic rates the film a perfect 5 out of 5 stars, writing: 

Stacey Yvonne of Wealth of Geeks rates it a 6.5 out of 10, saying it lacks a bit in character development, but overall The Holdovers comes highly recommended as a “lovely” film that sees Alexander Payne in top form and Paul Giamatti at his best. Yvonne continues: 

Film critic Leonard Maltin calls The Holdovers the most satisfying film he’s seen all year. It’s impossible to envision anyone but Paul Giamatti in the leading role, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph is “a marvel” in what she adds to her character. From Maltin’s review: 

Robert Butler III of Geeks of Color gives the movie a 9 out 10, writing that Paul Giamatti is “exceptional” and deserves every accolade he will inevitably earn this coming awards season. As for the movie overall, Butler writes: 

Manuel Betancourt of AV Club notes that while questions posed in The Holdovers regarding mental health, trauma, privilege and entitlement are anchored in its 1970s setting, the themes are all the more relevant today. The movie drives home the need for gentleness, not only for others but with ourselves. In Betancourt’s words:  

The film boasts an overwhelmingly positive reception on Rotten Tomatoes, garnering a 96 percent Fresh rating from more than 175 reviews. Now that The Holdovers is in wide release, check your local showtimes to catch this flick, because it sounds like we may be hearing about it again come awards season. Also be sure to check out our 2023 movie release calendar to see what else is coming to the big screen through the end of the year. 

In the coming weeks and months, the 2023 movie schedule will be inundated with all kinds of heavy hitters and Academy Award contenders as we work our way through the final stretch of the year. One of the movies near the top of that list is The Holdovers, a new coming-of-age dramedy starring Paul Giamatti. Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Alexander Payne, the movie tells the story of a winter break shared by a teacher, a student, and a school cook, an experience they won’t soon forget.

If this is the first you’re hearing about The Holdovers, worry not, we are about to break down everything we know about the upcoming movie, including its release date, trailer, and so much more. Let’s go back to the 1970s and explore this forthcoming feature film.

What Is The Holdovers Release Date?

There isn’t that much time to wait until The Holdovers is showing in theaters, as its theatrical rollout starts on October 27, 2023, though only in limited markets like New York City and Los Angeles, Focus Features has announced. Audiences around the country will get to see the movie for themselves when the nationwide expansion kicks off on November 10, 2023, the same day Nia DaCosta’s The Marvels opens on the big screen.

At one point, The Holdovers was slated for a November 22, 2023, wide release (with the limited rollout kicking off on November 10), Variety reported earlier in the year, but the film’s debut is coming a few weeks earlier now. This has it coming out a couple of weeks before other big awards contenders like Ridley Scott's Napoleon starring Joaquin Phoenix and Bradley Cooper's Maestro.

Paul Giamatti, Dominic Sessa, And Da'Vine Joy Randolph Lead The Holdovers Cast

As stated above, Paul Giamatti sits at the top of The Holdovers cast with his portrayal of Paul Hunham, a cranky and not-well-liked history professor at a New England prep school tasked with watching over students who have nowhere to go for the holidays. Joining Giamatti in this unconventional holiday movie is Dominic Sessa, who takes on the role of Angus Tully, one of the students left behind. The Holdovers is the young actor’s feature film debut. 

The cast also includes Da'Vine Joy Randolph, who will portray Mary Lamb, the prep school’s head cook. Randolph has been on an absolute tear the past few years after her breakout performance as Lady Reed in Dolemite Is My Name, and she has been a fixture of the Only Murders in the Building cast since the show’s 2021 debut.

The Holdovers Trailer Teases An Unlikely Bond Between A Strict Teacher And A Rebellious Student

In July 2023, Focus Features gave the world a peek into Alexander Payne’s new movie in the form of a nearly three-minute trailer teasing what’s to come when The Holdovers opens to audiences. The first half, which has an upbeat tone akin to an ‘80s movie about a rebellious group of students at a prep school, focuses mostly on Paul Giamatti’s strict teacher as he comes to terms with “babysitting” students who have no place to go during the holidays. At the center of these students is Dominic Sessa’s Angus, who is more than capable of trading barbs with his instructor.

However, in the second half, especially after it’s revealed that Angus’ father is dead and his mother left him at school over winter break, the film’s heart is fully exposed. This second half teases an unlikely bond between the strict teacher and rebellious student as they learn about each other, and themselves, during their stay together.

The Holdovers Follows A Prep School Teacher As He Spends The Holidays With A Group Of Students Who Have Nowhere To Go

As seen in the trailer above, The Holdovers will spend a holiday break with a teacher, students, and head cook at a prestigious New England prep school. While the rest of the students, faculty, and staff have gone home for the two-week winter break, these three stick around and have an unexpected experience like no other. According to the film’s official plot synopsis, the curmudgeonly instructor, damaged and intelligent student, and cook, who recently lost her son in Vietnam, will form a deep and unlikely bond over the course of their stay.

Director Alexander Payne Developed The Holdovers With Writer David Hemingson After Watching A 1930s French Film

Though Alexander Payne has written most of his own movies, Nebraska being the only one not penned by him heading into The Holdovers, he didn’t write his latest feature film. However, the two-time Academy Award winner (he won Best Adapted Screenplay Oscars for Sideways and The Descendants) did come up with the basic premise of the movie after watching an old 1930s French film.

Back in June 2021, when the project was first announced, Payne told Deadline that the idea came to him after watching that fateful film, but he didn’t have a background in the boarding school world, so he needed some help. The filmmaker explained that he came across a writing sample for a pilot set in that world written by Whiskey Cavalier showrunner David Hemingson, so he contacted him and went from there. 

This Is The First Time Alexander Payne And Paul Giamatti Have Worked Together Since 2004's Sideways

Alexander Payne and Paul Giamatti both reached new heights following the success of Sideways, but the pair didn’t work together again until teaming up for The Holdovers. In a September 2023 interview with Collider, Payne explained that he always wanted to work with the actor again, but he never really came close to making it happen until his latest project. While he said the role of Paul Hunham wasn't tailor-made for Giamatti, he had him in mind:

Though Giamatti somehow didn’t receive an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Miles Raymond in Sideways, one of the best movies of the 2000s, he took home a Screen Actors Guild award and other accolades for one of his defining performances.

It may be too early to start talking about the 2024 Oscars, but any conversation had about the upcoming awards show, and all the others leading up to it, could very well feature The Holdovers. 

Every fall, three film festivals run back-to-back that help to shape the annual race for Academy Awards glory. The Venice Film Festival, the Telluride Film Festival, and the Toronto International Film Festival program their collective slates with movies that hope to contend for year-end accolades, so experts head to these film meccas hoping to see the stories, performances, and craftwork that will contend for the top Oscars, handed out in March 2024. 

In collaboration with AMC Theatres, which aims to make modern movie masterpieces available to cinema fans through their AMC Artisan Films program, CinemaBlend traveled to Toronto for several days of movie screenings at TIFF 2023. And we left with a better sense of some contenders in multiple Oscar categories that we believe will be part of the conversation as the awards season heats up. Some of the names are very familiar, and tend to see themselves in the Oscar race time after time. Others, however, are complete surprises that still turned our heads, and deserve recognition. Here are nine Oscar contenders that emerged from the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. 

Jamie Foxx, The Burial

Jamie Foxx is no stranger to the Academy Awards, having won Best Actor for playing Ray Charles, and earning a nomination acting opposite Tom Cruise in Collateral. Foxx has made headlines as of late for his health scares, but his performance as a slick, fast-talking attorney in the legal courtroom thriller The Burial puts the conversation back on his charismatic screen presence. It’s a story based on true events, where a lawyer helps an underdog funeral home owner (Tommy Lee Jones) protect his business against a conglomerate. The Academy loves those types of stories, and Foxx is just that good.

Nicolas Cage, Dream Scenario

For a while now, Nicolas Cage has enjoyed a run where he basically plays “Nic Cage” on screen. Even when he’s Dracula in Renfield or an alternate Superman in The Flash, he’s still recognizable as the quirky character actor. But in Dream Scenario, Cage loses himself completely to play a schlubby college professor who begins showing up in everyone’s dreams… and starts getting used to the attention that comes with this phenomenon. With a push by A24, Cage easily could get into the Best Actor race (though it’s a competitive year, as our next selection will prove). 

Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers

Alexander Payne once mined Paul Giamatti’s particular brand of fussiness for Oscar glory in the 2004 comedy Sideways. Their latest collaboration would strike similar chords in awards voters, as Giamatti relishes the particular role of a private school teacher ordered to chaperone the prep students who have no place to go over Christmas break. Payne’s attention to period detail is impeccable, and this absolutely will earn a Best Picture nomination (see below). But Giamatti is a huge part of the reason why The Holdovers works so well, and I predict he’ll be in the Best Actor conversation.  

Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction

It’s a strong year for male performances so far, which means someone is going to have to be left out. Don‘t bet against Jeffrey Wright, the beloved character actor who receives his own version of a Sideways-style midlife crisis comedy in American Fiction. He plays esteemed author “Monk” Ellison, who returns home to Boston to care for his impaired mother and wrestles with family, a potential new love, and a fresh direction for his writing career. Wright is spectacular – no real surprise – and deserves Oscar consideration… particularly after American Fiction won the coveted Audience Award at TIFF.  

Jessica Chastain, Memory

Often, you won’t even know that a movie is coming until it makes a splash on the festival circuit. And you would think that a movie that pairs Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard would be on our radar. But it wasn’t until Chastain attended the Venice Film Festival on behalf of Memory that we started paying attention to the story of former friends who reconnect at a high school reunion, mainly because reviews went nuts for Chastain. Can she ride that wave to an Oscar nomination? It would be her fourth, and would arrive on the heels of her winning for The Eyes of Tammy Faye. 

Ava DuVernay, Origin 

Never count Ava DuVernay out of awards consideration, especially when she’s exploring history, racial strife, and social controversies. The director surprised the industry when she sent her newest film, Origin, to both Venice and Toronto. But once the reviews started rolling in, it became clear that DuVernay’s unique adaptation of Pulitzer Prize winner Isabel Wilkerson’s book Caste would become a major player in the upcoming Oscars race. The film decimated our own Corey Chichizola, who called it the best movie he saw at TIFF 2023. And in addition to the awards buzz for leading lady Aunjanue Ellis (King Richard), the chances of Origin earning a Best Picture nomination are also high.

The Holdovers

When you finally see Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers, you will know that it’s the ideal picture the Academy loves. That’s not a slight. Traditionally, there’s a formula, and when movie’s follow it well, they earn Oscars love. Payne is a pedigreed director, working off a dependable screenplay from David Hemingson. He has a terrific ensemble led by the great Paul Giamatti. The movie doesn’t reinvent the wheel. It’s a solid double smacked right between the shortstop and the second baseman. Enjoy it for what it is.  

Anatomy Of A Fall

Every once in a while, an international film makes its way into the Best Picture race. Roma, Amour, and Life is Beautiful are part of the ranks. Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite became the first foreign-language film to win Best Picture! So the door has been kicked open, and it’s possible that Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall walks through this year. The German true-crime thriller rides along on a stellar lead performance by Sandra Huller, playing a successful author who becomes the lead suspect in her husband’s death. There are twists, and there are turns. And they all might lead to a Best Picture nomination when the nominees are announced early next year. 

Look for these, and other upcoming 2023 movies, as they make their way to an AMC Theatres near you – and possibly also onto their curated list of AMC Artisan films – in the coming weeks and months. 

I don’t think it’s a hot take to say that Julia Roberts is one of the best romantic comedy actresses to ever do it. From 1990’s Pretty Woman to this year’s (mostly) delightful Ticket to Paradise, Roberts has allowed us to suspend all real-world expectations through classics like Notting Hill and Runaway Bride. For me, though, it was My Best Friend’s Wedding. The 1997 tale of one woman willing to destroy everything in her path in the name of staking a claim on her true love hit me right in my angsty 15-year-old heart, and it’s safe to say I got my money’s worth from that VHS tape. 

But life happens — as does newer technology — and somewhere along the line, the rewatches of Julianne (Julia Roberts) desperately trying to break up her best friend Michael (Dermot Mulroney) and his fiancée Kimmy (Cameron Diaz) ceased to be. I recently decided to revisit the old favorite as it marks its 25th anniversary, and a few things struck me about My Best Friend’s Wedding. Please accompany me on this journey: 

Who Makes A Backup Plan To Get Married At 28? 

When I was 15, did I really believe 28 was spinster age? On my rewatch, I was expecting Julianne to say she and Michael made their blood pact (!) to be each other’s backup when they were at least 30, if not older. When Jules oh-so-dramatically recalled Michael’s words — “Swear, when we’re 28 if we’ve never married, we marry each other” — an unexpected “Ha!” escaped my mouth. Come to think of it, though, I got married a week before my 28th birthday, so there’s a chance this was etched somewhere deep in my psyche. 

Rupert Everett Stole This Movie As George 

All the best romantic comedies have a best friend character, but it’s not often that person steals the whole damn show. George (Rupert Everett) was the winner for me, playing the roles of Jules’ editor, best friend, moral compass, fake fiancé and hero at the very end. During the famous lunch scene, the way he can’t stop himself from joining in with the “vengeful sluts” (Rachel Griffiths and Carrie Preston) singing “Do You Know the Way to San Jose” is pure brilliance. George was granted, in my opinion, the best lines of the whole movie, including: 

• “I can see why.” (After Jules screams that Michael loved “me for nine goddamn years! Me!”) 
• “Death by minibar, how glamorous.” 
• “Love to. Love the bag, love the shoes, love everything, love to.” 
• “Maybe there won’t be marriage. Maybe there won’t be sex. But by God, there’ll be dancing.”

Two All-Time Classic Musical Scenes Still Hold Up 

Speaking of the lunch scene, that is just one of two all-time classic musical moments that My Best Friend’s Wedding delivers. Do people actually exist who DON’T think of this ‘90s box office hit anytime they hear “I Say a Little Prayer for You”? This whole-restaurant sing-along is made all the better by how miserable Jules and Michael look while everybody else goes off. 

The karaoke scene, as well, where Kimmy slaughters “I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself,” stands up 25 years later, as Cameron Diaz's character had everybody in her corner by the end of that song — even Julianne. 

Wait, Did This Movie Inspire Two Of Grey’s Anatomy’s Most Iconic Speeches? 

Two times during my viewing of this ‘90s classic, my Grey’s Anatomy radar went off. Is it possible that the infamous words from this rom-com live in the subconsciouses of those writing for the ABC medical drama? Hear me out. Michael talking to Jules about love as they boat down the Chicago River sounds a lot like Mark Sloan’s iconic advice to Jackson Avery:

• MICHAEL: Kimmy says if you love someone, you say it. You say it, right then, out loud. Otherwise, the moment just passes you by.
• SLOAN: If you love someone, you tell them. Even if you're scared that it's not the right thing. Even if you're scared that it'll cause problems. Even if you're scared that it will burn your life to the ground, you say it, and you say it loud and then you go from there.

And, you can’t tell me Meredith Grey wasn’t channeling a little Julianne when these lines were uttered: 

• JULIANNE: Choose me. Marry me. Let me make you happy.
• MEREDITH: Pick me. Choose me. Love me.

Neither one of those situations turned out the way our heroines wanted them to, so what should that teach us about begging for love? 

Paul Giamatti Came Into Our Lives Like An Advice-Wielding, Cigarette-Smoking Angel 

Remember the days of smoking indoors? What a time. This scene with Paul Giamatti as the bellman always seemed so intimate to me, the way he and Julianne share a cigarette during her moment of crisis. He imparts some wisdom before journeying off, surely to save some other weary soul.

Paul Giamatti wasn’t the only now-big name to pop up in small roles throughout this movie. I loved seeing Rose Abdoo as the seamstress, Harry Shearer as the author at George’s book reading, and Paul Adelstein as a groomsman.

God Bless This Time Capsule Of Email In 1997 

As Julianne committed this heinous cyber crime to get her BFF fired from his job so he’ll dump his fiancée on their wedding day, it was hilarious to see this wildly outdated email interface, where she doesn’t even type in an email address, just Michael’s boss’ name, title, and “Sport Magazine.” 

Kimmy Is Too Good For Michael; He And Julianne Deserve Each Other 

Throughout my rewatch, I couldn’t fight one thought that kept creeping into my head — Julianne is such a terrible person! She was so patronizing to Kimmy, who went out of her way to make sure Julianne was able to spend every available moment with Michael. And the schemes to try to stop the wedding were plain evil. Michael was hardly better, openly flirting with Julianne constantly. 

Kimmy, meanwhile, was more emotionally mature than a lot of 20-year-olds, fully accepting and trusting Jules, despite her past with Michael. Kimmy also gave him her full support with his career, despite her own feelings, because she knew it was important to him. I daresay Kimmy might have been better off just letting Michael and Julianne have each other.

Additional Thoughts

Here are some other quick thoughts I had about My Best Friend’s Wedding: 

• Shoutout to whoever had to inflate all of the balloons pictured above.
• That is not how restaurant reviews work. “Inventive and confident”?
• Julia Roberts is an absolute master at physical comedy. I’d forgotten how many times she gets knocked off her feet.
• Kimmy’s license plate reads “HPY 20.” I’d never noticed that on my old VHS.
• Jules saying being a sportswriter isn’t a grown-up job, to me, was the most offensive thing she did in this movie. 
• Has there ever been a more graphic insult than Michael calling Jules “the pus that infects the mucus that cruds up the fungus that feeds on the pond scum”? Poetry.

Not all movies stand the test of time, but watching My Best Friend’s Wedding 25 years later was such a treat. Although I viewed it through a slightly different lens than as the teenager I once was, I remain unbothered by the more ridiculous aspects of the plot and was pleasantly surprised by some of the subtler humor in the script. If you’re like me and no longer have access to your VHS player, My Best Friend’s Wedding is available to rent or buy on Amazon’s Prime Video, and if you want to make it a marathon, check out some more of Julia Roberts’ best movies. 

Last month marked the 20th anniversary of a classic comedy, Big Fat Liar. The Universal film that starred big young stars of the early '00s, Frankie Muniz and Amanda Bynes, as teens who get back at Paul Giamatti’s Hollywood executive after he steals Muniz's character's creative writing assignment. Big Fat Liar’s director Shawn Levy apparently has “dreams” to make a sequel, and the idea is amazing. 

Shawn Levy has a new family-focused film called The Adam Project hitting Netflix this Friday. While speaking to CinemaBlend, the conversation moved to Big Fat Liar, which Levy admitted he’s been thinking about revisiting for some time: 

As Shawn Levy shared during the interview, he was told about the anniversary via Twitter, but didn’t end up having time to “properly honor the occasion.” Even so, he already has an idea in the bag for a sequel. It sounds like the director wants to make another Big Fat Liar movie centering on Paul Giamatti’s scummy Hollywood producer getting back at those kids for ruining his life (and turning him blue). 

Big Fat Liar was the filmmaker's second-ever movie, and his first studio hit. It led him to make a host of other successful movies, like Cheaper by the Dozen, The Pink Panther, the Night at the Museum movies, Date Night and Real Steel. Shawn Levy has been on a roll as of late, recently linking up with Ryan Reynolds for both Free Guy and The Adam Project. As the director shared, he’s already making a Real Steel Disney+ series, so why not Big Fat Liar too? 

One major problem Shawn Levy might run into when making a Big Fat Liar sequel is the fact that the former child stars that made the movie so charming are not really making movies anymore. Amanda Bynes last role was in 2010’s Easy A before dealing with mental health and substance abuse struggles. Bynes is currently filing to end a conservatorship following Britney Spear’s related victory. Frankie Muniz may be more up to it, as he's done roles here and there over the years, but he's also a new dad nowadays. 

While Shawn Levy continues to drum up his Big Fat Liar ideas, his latest movie, The Adam Project, is getting a lot of praise online, including through CinemaBlend’s review. Our own Mike Reyes awarded the film 3.5 out of 5, saying it’s a “thrill ride that occasionally causes one's eyes to well up”. You can check out the movie starring Ryan Reynolds, Zoe Saldaña, Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo with a Netflix subscription on March 11. 

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been following the Spider-Man: No Way Home rumors big time and it’s both seriously exciting and somewhat concerning. Possibly even fandom wishful thinking? Are we looking at the Sony Spider-Verse’s own Endgame or are we overblowing this? It can’t possibly be everyone being mentioned appearing in one two-hour movie, could it? And do we want to see that if so? Well, now that the trailer for Tom Holland’s latest outing as Spider-Man is out in the world, we know many of these rumors are entirely possible, and it’s time to prospectively decide which of these musings we’ll be the most broken up about if they stay rumors rather than concrete elements of the film.

So far, there are a few rumors that have proven to be true that we can absolutely count on. Alfred Molina’s Otto Octavius made his epic return with that “Hello, Peter” line at the end of the trailer, and we know that Jamie Foxx is back as Electro via the actor letting it slip in a quickly-deleted Instagram post. Per Far From Home's end-credits scene and J.K. Simmons comments, J. Jonah Jameson is also expected to be part of No Way Home. Also, there’s a ton of evidence pointing to Willem Dafoe’s return as Green Goblin, especially considering that pumpkin bomb reveal. Now let’s talk through the rest of the yet-to-be-confirmed rumors, and how much we do or don’t want to see them.

Dane DeHaan’s Green Goblin

Yeah… I don’t think anyone wants to see this. No offense to Dane DeHaan, as he wasn’t given the best arc to work with in The Amazing Spider-Man anyway. Oh, and the actor has even shared that he would much rather “do something new” than revisit the version of Harry Osborn he played alongside Andrew Garfield. So with that in mind, not only is this a very unlikely rumor, but my least favorite one that I’ve seen in the mix.

Thomas Haden Church’s Sandman

Now this one feels more possible considering fans have noticed some hints of Sandman in the No Way Home trailer. Back in 2007’s Spider-Man 3, Thomas Haden Church played the classic Marvel villain in between James Franco's New Goblin and Topher Grace's Venom, and it was fine. But I’ll be honest, if he shows up in No Way Home, I might actually be a little disappointed. Do we really need more of this character? No, but I guess if we’re doing Sinister Six it could pay off!

Paul Giamatti’s Rhino

One of the most ridiculous wastes of talent in a Spider-Man movie was when Paul Giamatti showed up in the final sequence of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 as Rhino following a teasing introduction at the beginning of the movie, and absolutely nothing came from it. Though at the time, Sony did not know it would be pulling the plug on the next installment of The Amazing Spider-Man series. Giamatti was a great pick for Rhino, and even for a moment more, it would be fun to see the actor return to his short lived Marvel character.

Rhys Ifans’ Lizard

Many people also believe Rhys Ifans’ Lizard is in the No Way Home trailer as well, though it’s one that not all fans agree on or see. Ifans played Lizard in the first Amazing Spider-Man movie, and it really complemented the origin story of Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker. This one seems kind of random considering Lizard isn’t necessarily the best or most interesting villain in the Marvel canon, but I wouldn’t be mad at this considering how it could tie back to a seriously underrated Marvel film.

Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy

Now here’s a rumor I straight up just don’t believe will happen. Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spider-Man movies died in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Considering how heartbreakingly that went down, it is one of those things that should not be resurrected without care. Now, Stone could come back as an alternate Gwen, such as Spider-Gwen, but it doesn’t feel like it'd fit in with the story. That being said, I would absolutely geek out if Emma Stone turned up in No Way Home.

Kristen Dunst’s MJ

Of the Spider-Man past girlfriends, this rumor feels more likely, especially to the legacy of the original Spider-Man movies. Spider-Man 3 really left fans hanging in terms of Peter and MJ’s relationship, and it was really pivotal to the franchise. If Tobey Maguire shows up in No Way Home, as a lot of fans claim, it would be cool to see where his personal life is at, including with a scene with Kirsten Dunst’s Mary Jane Watson.

Charlie Cox’s Daredevil

Since the No Way Home trailer dropped, fans have been in a flurry over some forearms possibly belonging to Charlie Cox’s Daredevil, made known from the Netflix series that was cancelled. Cox recently said he can “promise” that what fans believe to be a hint to his return are not his. Do we believe him? This Daredevil rumor does seem unlikely, but Peter Parker turning to Matt Murdock as his lawyer and that being Charlie Cox would be so awesome!

Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio

In my opinion, Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio is one of the best Spider-Man villains we’ve ever had, and it would be absolutely amazing if he is not actually dead and the leader of this elaborate plot that drives a lot of No Way Home's narrative already. Mysterio very much put Peter Parker in the scenario he’s in, and for the character to return and assemble these villains of the multiverse would just be awesome.

Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man

Andrew Garfield was a fantastic Spider-Man, but his run was sadly cut short when Sony and Disney decided to reboot the character again for the MCU. A lot of people think it’s wholeheartedly going to happen, and while I’m still skeptical about it, I would 100% cry tears of happiness if Garfield does in fact make it into No Way Home.

Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man

Who I want to see between Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield are honestly neck and neck, but Tobey Maguire gets the top slot because it’s been an even longer time coming than anyone. He is a legendary Spider-Man and the first big-screen Web-Slinger, and to see him interact with the MCU would be a dream come true for myself and many fans of the series.

How many of these rumors do you think Spider-Man: No Way Home will actually include? Vote in our poll below.

This poll is no longer available.

Of all the Netflix movies to come out in the summer of 2021, few, if any, feature a group of actors more talented and well-known than the Gunpowder Milkshake cast. Navot Papushado’s action thriller about an assassin reconnecting with her estranged mother while also protecting a young girl has everyone from Karen Gillan to Lena Headey and Michelle Yeoh to Angela Bassett, and then some. But after watching the action-packed thrill-ride with more twists and turns than some can handle, you are probably wondering where you’ve seen the members of the cast before.

Well, if you are a fan of shows like Game of Thrones and Doctor Who or movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the James Bond franchise then you’ll surely recognize some, if not all, of the impressive Gunpowder Milkshake cast. In case you forgot, or maybe you’ve never seen any of those movies or shows, we’ve put together a quick yet comprehensive rundown of the cast and where they’ve been.

Karen Gillan (Sam)

Leading off the Gunpowder Milkshake cast is Karen Gillan who portrays the master assassin known as Sam. Before she was carrying out jobs for The Firm, trying to save a young girl, and attempting to reconnect with her estranged mother, Gillan made a name for herself on the iconic British sci-fi series Doctor Who where she portrayed the Time Lord’s companion Amy Pond. It wasn’t long after Gillan’s star-making performance that she ended up portraying the conflicted Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy, a role she has portrayed multiple times since and will continue to bring to life in a number of upcoming Marvel movies.

Outside of the Marvel and Doctor Who universes, Karen Gillan has also cemented her legacy in pop culture with starring roles in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and its sequel Jumanji: The Next Level, with hopefully more of that franchise on the way.

Lena Headey (Scarlet)

To some (okay, most of us), Lena Headey will forever be remembered as the conniving, vindictive, and power-hungry Cersei Lannister on Game of Thrones, even a few years after the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms met a brutal death in the destruction of Kings Landing. The actress, who plays Scarlet, Sam’s estranged mother and the leader of a sisterhood of assassins in Gunpowder Milkshake, has a lot more to her name than eight seasons of the HBO fantasy series.

Leaving Westeros behind, Lena Headey has played pivotal roles in everything from Zack Snyder’s eye-catching adaptation of the Frank Miller graphic novel 300, the 2005 action-horror film The Cave, The Purge, and Fighting with My Family. And prior to landing one of the most memorable roles on Game of Thrones, Headey had a starring role on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles where she played the titular heroine.

Chloe Coleman (Emily)

The youngest member of the Gunpowder Milkshake cast, Chloe Coleman, takes on the role of Emily, the young girl under Sam’s protection after the latter kills the former’s father. Despite her young age, Coleman has already built up an impressive filmography in film and television. Over the course of the past few years, Coleman has had notable roles on shows like Big Little Lies, Upload, and Kinderwood.

One of her biggest movies to date — 2020’s My Spy — saw her team up with Karen Gillan’s Guardians of the Galaxy (and Stuber) co-star Dave Bautista in the latest version of the “big man paired with little kid” action movie trope. It doesn’t look like Coleman is slowing down anytime soon as she will soon appear in Avatar 2 and Dungeons and Dragons.

Michelle Yeoh (Florence)

Florence, one of the members of the lethal sisterhood of assassins in Gunpowder Milkshake is portrayed by the incomparable Michelle Yeoh, who has been a fixture of international cinema for years at this point, turning out memorable role after memorable role in a number of different genres. Depending on when you were born, you will either recognize Yeoh from movies like Tomorrow Never Dies, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Memoirs of a Geisha, or Crazy Rich Asians, to name only a few films credited to the talented actress.

A Fixture of the Star Trek universe since joining the cast of Star Trek: Discovery in 2017, Michelle Yeoh’s television credits are impressive, and it doesn’t look like she’s slowing down anytime soon. With a list of upcoming shows that includes an untitled Star Trek series, Ark: The Animated Series, and The Witcher: Blood Origin, expect to see Yeoh on the small screen a lot in the near future. And then there’s her upcoming movies like Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Minions: The Rise of Gru, Avatar 2.

Angela Bassett (Anna May)

Angela Bassett, another member of the Gunpowder Milkshake cast who has a history in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, portrays the assassin known as Anna May in the Netflix action thriller. One of the most talented actresses who surprisingly doesn’t have an Academy Award to their name (this really needs to change), Bassett has received recognition performances in movies like Black Panther, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, What’s Love Got to Do with It (which earned her a Golden Globe), Malcolm X, and Mission: Impossible — Fallout.

Expect to see Angela Bassett reprise her role of Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which is near the top of the list of most anticipated 2022 movies. Bassett was also originally slated to return as CIA Director Erika Sloane in Mission: Impossible 7 but she was forced to drop out of the movie due to schedule conflicts brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Carla Gugino (Madeleine)

Taking on the role Madeleine, the third member of the sisterhood of assassins (the one with an affinity for Agatha Christie novels and large weapons), is Carla Gugino, whose contributions to the world of cinema goes beyond being impressive. Over the years, Gugino has showed up in family comedies like Night at the Museum and the Spy Kids franchise while also popping up in multiple Zack Snyder films including Watchmen, Sucker Punch, Man of Steel, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Zack Snyder’s Justice League.

Carla Gugino’s list of television credits is equally as impressive with small roles on classic shows like Who’s the Boss?, The Wonder Years, and Quantum Leap before landing larger spots on the likes of Spin City, Chicago Hope, and Entourage. More recently, Gugino has lent her talents to Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor, as well as Manhunt: Deadly Games.

Paul Giamatti (Nathan)

Taking on the role of Nathan, the head of The Firm’s HR department and father-like figure of Sam, is two-time Golden Globe winner Paul Giamatti. Over the years, the son of the former MLB Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti (who wrote what is possibly the most beautiful essay about baseball) has turned into one of the most talented actors of his time, turning out one amazing performance after another. Whether it’s lead roles on TV shows like the HBO limited series John Adams (his first Golden Globe) or Showtime’s Billions or one-off appearances on Downtown Abbey or 30 Rock, Giamatti’s done a little bit of everything.

And then there’s Paul Giamatti’s film contributions. With Barney’s Vision (his second Golden Globe), an Academy Award-nominated performance in Cinderella Man, or Alexander Payne’s Sideways, it isn’t all that difficult to make a case for Giamatti being at the upper echelon of living actors.

Ralph Ineson (Jim McAlester)

Ralph Ineson shows up in Gunpowder Milkshake as Jim McAlester, the leader of the crime organization who makes it his mission to take out Sam, Emily, and anyone else in his way. Before playing an over-the-top villain in the Netflix action flick, Ineson appeared in two of the biggest fantasy franchises of the 21st Century: the Harry Potter films (Amycus Carrow) and Game of Thrones (Dagmer Cleftjaw). Ineson also portrayed William in The Witch.

Outside of fantasy and supernatural films and series, Ralph Ineson has also lent his talents to various comedy programs over the years, most notably the original British version of The Office, in which he appeared as Chris Finch. Over the years, he’s also popped up on The IT Crowd and Drunk History. Oh, and let’s not forget his brief role in Chernobyl or Guardians of the Galaxy.

Adam Nagaitis (Virgil)

Taking on he role of Virgil, one of the master assassins sent to kill Sam in Gunpowder Milkshake, is Adam Nagaitis. Prior to landing a spot the Netflix action thriller, Nagaitis showed up in movies like Suffragette, The Man with the Iron Heart, and The Commuter. Over on the television side of things, Nagaitis has been a part of shows like The Terror, Chernobyl, and A Christmas Carol in addition to smaller roles on programs like Law and Order: UK, Outlaws, and The Courtroom.

Michael Smiley (Dr. Ricky)

And then there is Michael Smiley, who portrays Dr. Ricky, the chief of the secretive assassins clinic in Gunpowder Milkshake. With roles in movies like The World’s End, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, The Lobster, and The Nun to his name, chances are you’ve seen Smiley at least once over the past couple of decades. His television credits are just as impressive with everything from Doctor Who to Luther and Black Mirror to Wire in the Blood making him a recognizable face.

This is just the main portion of the Gunpowder Milkshake, as The Witcher’s Freya Allan appears as a young Sam, Doctor Who’s Samuel Anderson shows up as Emily’s dad, and not to mention all the random assassins that show up throughout the movie.

CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via links.

Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunts Jungle Cruise releases in theaters and on streaming on July 30th. Dwayne Johnson has celebrated the movie’s upcoming release on Disney+ giving fans a new look at the film-- which is shaping up to be an exciting time at the theater or at home. Disney has been showing off some of its action sequences, hyping up the insane sequences Emily Blunt and The Rock are a part of. Now, Jungle Cruise’s Paul Giamatti reveals his idea for the movie that (obviously) got shot down by Disney.

Giamatti plays Nilo, an old harbormaster that manages the port where Dwayne Johnson’s character docks his boat. Paul Giamatti is one of many stars that will be appealing in Jungle Cruise, and it seems he was not shy about sharing some suggestions while making the film. He spoke to Men’s Health about various projects and the upcoming Jungle Cruise, and he explained an idea he had for the movie, saying:

Paul Giamatti describes the bird that is on his arm in the promotional trailers and what his character is up to in Jungle Cruise. Giamatti says that there wasn’t really a character when he was presented with doing Jungle Cruise, saying that Disney asked him to come in and do something with no real concrete grasp on what the character was so there was room for input. The blank slate he had to work with inspired the actor to experiment and share some of his ideas for the character. Giamatti went on to explain:

Paul Giamatti says he originally wanted a monkey as his companion instead of a parrot. Giamatti says he wanted a monkey that would light his character’s cigars, but he recognized that it’s a Disney movie, so he wouldn’t be allowed to smoke cigars. He also adds that monkeys are difficult to deal with, so having a monkey companion was turned down. They ultimately decided on a bird as his companion, which Giamatti was happy with.

Jungle Cruise is expected to hit Disney+ at the same time as theaters. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

Jungle Cruise looks super fun and has some serious Pirates of the Caribbean vibes, giving fans hope that the pirate franchise might return in some form one day. Dwayne Johnson has done some heavy Disney research to prepare for his role as Frank the boat Captain, and it would be interesting to hear what ideas The Rock had for his character that Disney shot down.

Emily Blunt and The Rock have been having fun prompting Jungle Cruise, trolling each other with their dueling trailers for their respective characters. Dwayne Johnson has even been trolling Disney over Emily Blunt’s Jungle Cruise video announcing her new trailer. If they have half the fun they are having in real life in the film, then Jungle Cruise is in great shape.

CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via links.

With Black Widow now finally in theaters, Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has kicked off on the big screen. There are also a number of highly anticipated projects coming down the line, including Jon Watts’ Spider-Man: No Way Home this winter. There are a ton of rumors about the mysterious threequel, with fans hoping for a massive crossover with heroes and villains from previous franchises. Amazing Spider-Man 2’s Rhino actor Paul Giamatti hasn’t been involved in any of these rumors, and he recently responded to seemingly being skipped for the upcoming blockbuster.

Rumors about crossovers for Spider-Man: No Way Home began after both Alfred Molina and Jamie Foxx admitted they’d be reprising their roles from previous franchises. Since then there’s been reports of Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Willem Dafoe all having parts in the mysterious blockbuster opposite Tom Holland. Paul Giamatti was recently asked about these rumors, especially since his run as Rhino was cut short. In his words,

That was honest. It looks like the acclaimed actor hasn’t been keeping up with all the Marvel rumors about Spider-Man: No Way Home. And as such, he’s not sore about seemingly being left out of the crossover event. That is, if the rumors turn out to be true.

Paul Giamatti’s comments to ComicBook certainly seem earnest, so it seems like his Rhino won’t be in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Then again, the cast is sworn to secrecy. Some of them just succeed at this better than others.

A number of Spider-Man projects including some MCU appearances by Tom Holland are currently available on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 ended on Paul Giamatti’s character, who had acquired the tech to truly become the villainous Rhino. That scene was clearly setting up a Sinister Six event for Andrew Garfield’s third movie, but that project never came to fruition. But now there are reports of Spider-Man: No Way Home forming its own version of that villainous group.

There are countless theories about what Spider-Man: No Way Home might contain, but they almost all involve the multiverse. Some fans believe the movie’s title is referring to alternate versions of Spidey villains, which would allow for the various alums to return to their roles. This seems like an A+ opportunity to bring Rhino back to the big screen, although Paul Giamatti certainly makes it seem like he’s not privy to those plans-- let alone a part of the upcoming threequel.

Luckily for the fans, our questions about Spider-Man: No Way Home should be solved sooner rather than later. Jon Watts’ blockbuster is expected to hit theaters this December, so it’s only a matter of time before the marketing kicks off with the highly anticipated first trailer. And both Marvel and Studio know how badly the fans want it.

Spider-Man: No Way Home is currently expected to arrive in theaters on December 17th. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

I'm not a begging man. I try to value whatever I get in life, even (or especially) the little things. While 2014's The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was an epic boondoggle blockbuster with few-to-zero redeeming values, director Marc Webb's unspectacular Spider-Man flop did have a few good things that I appreciated, including Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone's returning chemistry, Dan Mindel's sharp cinematography, and, most especially, an immensely inspired villainous turn from acclaimed actor Paul Giamatti as The Rhino.

The latter was among the movie's biggest and best surprises, particularly as it was so entertaining to see the esteemed performer cut loose and have fun hamming it up in this numskull adversary role. But while we were promised the character's silver screen return in The Amazing Spider-Man 3, that proposed sequel never came to pass, thus robbing us the chance to see Paul Giamatti really go wild as this animalistic antagonist.

But with MCU's Spider-Man 3 (allegedly) set to feature Spider-Man 2's Doc Ock and The Amazing Spider-Man 2's Electro, among other rumored reprisals, producer Kevin Feige should seriously consider putting this goofy bad guy in this much-anticipated Spider-Man sequel. Here are a few humble reasons why I plea for Paul Giamatti's The Rhino to finally return in Marvel's third attempt to make Spider-Man 3.

With Seemingly Every Other Spider-Man Villain Returning, Why Not Paul Giamatti's Rhino?

In early October, we learned the shocking news that Jamie Foxx would (reportedly) reprise his role as Electro in MCU's Spider-Man 3. Certainly, this news was met with both surprise and confusion, notably as it would (possibly) combine two Spider-Man universes into one.

Granted, when this casting update was announced, Disney made no implication that Foxx's Electro return would be a continuation of the one he provided in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. But when it was later announced that Alfred Molina would also return as Doc Ock, the villain he first played in 2004's Spider-Man 2, along with the possibility of Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire returning, there was reason to believe that the MCU's Spider-Man 3 would be a multi-universe event — not unlike Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

With Benedict Cumberbatch also set to play Doctor Strange, there's a very real chance we'll be seeing various stars from other Spider-Man movies joining forces for this movie extravaganza. If all these actors can appear, why not Paul Giamatti's The Rhino?

It Would Help Give The Amazing Spider-Man Franchise Some Closure

It's no secret that Sony had high hopes for the future of The Amazing Spider-Man franchise. In addition to paving the way for a new Spider-Man trilogy, the studio executives were hoping to build up to spin-offs for The Sinister Six and a number of other animated personalities seen throughout Spidey's comic book pages, including Black Cat. It's easy to see how they wanted to compete with the ever-expanding MCU and give the Disney-owned company a run for their money (and their well-oiled money-making machine). Alas, that didn't pan out when Amazing Spider-Man 2 underperformed both critically and commercially, thus dashing Sony's Amazing Spider-Man 3 hopes and later resulting in their MCU arrangement.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 left audiences dangling as the sequel ends with an abrupt cliffhanger, which was clearly teasing a few more installments. Alas, this woebegone superhero franchise never properly concluded its story, for better or worse. But now the MCU has a chance to give The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and, consequently, The Rhino some closure with this forthcoming sequel.

The Rhino Was Supposed To Play A Bigger Role In The Amazing Spider-Man 3

As we noted above, The Rhino's storyline was left dangling in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 by a cliffhanger that didn't properly resolve his ongoing battle with that pesky Spider-Man. While this hasty ending is ultimately meant to signify Peter Parker's ability to gradually overcome the grief of Gwen Stacy's devastating loss, as he continues fighting baddies inside the web-shooter costume, the 2014 blockbuster's finale viciously teased the snarling feud between The Rhino and Spidey. They were finally set to go toe-to-toe in this climactic sequence... before those bothersome end credits got in the way.

In an interview, Paul Giamatti admitted (via ScreenRant) that he would've reprised the role of The Rhino in The Amazing Spider-Man 3, but that movie never came to pass. While he wasn't supposed to play the main antagonist in this threequel, the actor could've played a more prominent part in this unmade movie, leaving this character arc unfulfilled. If Marvel is already inviting Electro into the MCU mix, why not The Rhino?

Paul Giamatti Loves Playing The Part, It Was (Indirectly) The Actor's Idea To Be Involved In The First Place

Believe it or not, Paul Giamatti was actually the one who came up with the idea of putting The Rhino in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, albeit indirectly. As he admitted during a promotional interview for 2014's ill-fated superhero blockbuster, the actor was asked during a talk show interview which character he'd play if he could appear in one of these movies. Giamatti jokingly retorted, "The Rhino," which "nobody even knew" who that was. But director Marc Webb saw that interview and quickly reached out to the Oscar-nominated thespian to see if he'd actually consider playing The Rhino. It didn't take long for Giamatti to say yes, and he wound up playing the brute bad guy in Webb's Spidey sequel.

As Paul Giamatti noted, he was only meant to be a "colorful bookend," but the prestige actor clearly had a ball letting loose and having fun. One imagines that he'd also be down to return to The Rhino in Spider-Man 3.

As One Of The Highlights Of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, It Would Be A Ton Of Fun To See Paul Giamatti's Rhino In The MCU

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is, frankly, a mess. Even by bloated superhero movie standards, Marc Webb's super-overloaded sequel is overwhelmed by an influx of characters, plot threads, and a barrage of Sony notes demanding any number of additions to this overworked film. For as much as people give Spider-Man 3 guff, this overburdened blockbuster is even more overloaded with story beats and efforts to build Sony's franchise aspirations. But amid the rumble, there were a few gems found. One such gem is Paul Giamatti's goofy, zestful The Rhino, which allows the Oscar-nominated actor to go wild and unleash some beastly instincts to fun, kooky results.

While some critics also found his performance too over-the-top, Giamatti was one of the few actors who knew exactly what he was doing in this inconsistent flick and charged into it full speed ahead. How delightful it'd be, then, to see him get his proper due in MCU's newest Spider-Man sequel.

It Would Add To The Wackiness Of This Multiverse Premise... Assuming That’s What Happening

Granted, as we have already noted above, the multiverse theory for MCU's Spider-Man 3 is presently just that: a theory. We can only assume that's what's happening, based on the actors reportedly signed on to reprise their famous Spider-Man roles, along with Benedict Cumberbatch on-board not long as he establishes The Multiverse of Madness in his own sequel. But if that's what's happening, MCU should fully indulge the wackiness of this premise. Especially if they want to avoid an abundance of comparisons to Into the Spider-Verse, they should make this Spider-Man movie as extravagantly absurd as can (hopefully) be. What better way to do that than to reintroduce Paul Giamatti's undervalued The Rhino into the mix?

Even by Spider-Man standards, The Rhino was a boisterous, outsized personality that proved how weird Spider-Man's world can be. His presence was a high point in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and he can be a highlight of MCU's Spider-Man 3, too... if given a chance.

Do you want Paul Giamatti's The Rhino to make an appearance in MCU's Spider-Man 3? Or would you rather he stay put in his own universe? Let us know what you think in the comment section below!

Saving Private Ryan helped cement Tom Hanks’s leading man career. The movie proved that you could put him in any role and he would probably excel. The film also helped launch the careers of many aspiring actors, like Vin Diesel and Nathan Fillion. It also featured future big-name actors in small roles, like Bryan Cranston. If you’re like me, you’re probably going, “Wait what? Bryan Cranston and Nathan Fillion are in Saving Private Ryan?” Yes, my friend, indeed they are in it.

Recently, I rewatched Steven Spielberg’s war classic and had many moments of, “Oh wait, he’s in this?” Saving Private Ryan is full of appearances by many recognizable names, either in one of their first screen roles or as-sort of cameo appearances. Let’s look at some of the actors featured in Saving Private Ryan that you may have forgotten appeared in the film.

Warning: Spoilers ahead. I’ll be discussing some plot points from Saving Private Ryan**, so turn back if you want to remain unspoiled.**

Vin Diesel (Private Adrian Caparzo)

Vin Diesel plays Private Caparzo in Saving Private Ryan. He’s one of the original men selected to join Captain Miller (Tom Hanks)’s team. Technically, one would assume that Vin Diesel was one of the main characters in Saving Private Ryan, but if you haven’t seen the film in a while, I have some news for you: he dies pretty early in the movie. So many Saving Private Ryan fans may have forgotten he was even in the movie.

This was also one of Diesel’s early movies, so he wasn’t well known at the time. His appearance is something that I assume only people who watched it many years later (after he became a big star) would recognize. Diesel is best known for being part of the Fast & Furious franchise. He’s also one of the biggest action stars today, leading other franchises like The Chronicles of Riddick and the XXX films. He has also voiced adorable Groot in The Guardians of the Galaxy films and other Marvel movies.

Bryan Cranston (Colonel Mack)

Cranston’s character Colonel Mack appears in one of the opening scenes. He’s one of the first colonels informed that all three other Ryan brothers have died. He makes the decision to tell General George C. Marshall (Harve Presnell), which inspires him to send Miller’s crew on a mission to save the final Ryan brother.

Cranston worked consistently prior to Saving Private Ryan but hadn’t had his big break yet. He only appears in two scenes in the movie, so it’s easy to forget. Cranston is best known for his role as Walter White in Breaking Bad and the movie El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. He also spent years making viewers laugh as Hal in Malcolm in the Middle. He’s also appeared in films such as Argo, Trumbo, and The One and Only Ivan.

Ted Danson (Captain Fred Hamill)

Ted Danson plays Captain Hamill in Saving Private Ryan. He’s the captain of one of the units that Miller’s unit encounters on their quest to find Private Ryan (Matt Damon). Ironically, Hamill’s unit has a James Ryan, it’s just not the right one. Ted Danson had already made a name for himself by playing Sam Malone in Cheers. He had also appeared in the films She’s Having a Baby, Cousins, and the Three Men and a Baby films.

Therefore, it’s easy to recognize Ted Danson when he pops up on Saving Private Ryan, but it’s such a quick cameo that it’s a blink and you may miss it moment. He’s also a bit overshadowed by the slightly comedic scene involving a soon-to-be star. Ted Danson has become even bigger since Saving Private Ryan appearing in many movies and shows, including Fargo, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and The Good Place.

Nathan Fillion (Private James Frederick Ryan)

Saving Private Ryan is a pretty serious film, but it has some scenes of comedic genius. One of those scenes involves a fresh-faced Nathan Fillion. Captain Miller and his team believe that they have found the Private Ryan that they’re on a mission to find. They ask his captain (played by Ted Danson) to call him, and Miller tells him that his brothers are dead. Private Ryan has a full breakdown, only for them to learn that he’s Minnesota Ryan, not Ohio Ryan, and his brothers are too young to be in the war--so very likely alive.

This moment is just a prerequisite for Fillion’s future comedy roles. Fillion is best known for his role as Mal in the cult-favorite Firefly and its spin-off film Serenity. He also appeared in the film version of Waitress, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, and soon-to-be-released The Suicide Squad. Fillion is also best known for his role in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Desperate Housewives, Castle, Santa Clarita Diet, and The Rookie.

Paul Giamatti (Sergeant Hill)

Sergeant Hill (Paul Giamatti) helps lead Captain Miller to Captain Hamill, but his clumsiness leads to a stand-off between some German soldiers and Miller’s unit. Giamatti also has a blink and you might miss it moment. He appeared in Saving Private Ryan before he really became a recognizable name and face.

Paul Giamatti is best known for films like American Splendor, The Last Station, Win Win, Sideways, 12 Years A Slave, and Cinderella Man. He is also known for the HBO miniseries John Adams and the Showtime series Billions. Paul Giamatti is also one of those actors that has appeared in so many films that you’ve at least seen him in one thing or another.

Dennis Farina (Lieutenant Colonel Walter Anderson)

Dennis Farina plays Lieutenant Colonel Anderson, the man who Captain Miller reports to after the big opening battle on the beach. He also gives Miller his new assignment to find Private Ryan. Farina only appears in one scene in the film.

Farina is best known for his role as Det. Joe Fontana in Law & Order. He’s also known for his roles in Midnight Run, Get Shorty, Out of Sight, and Snatch. He also played Nick (Jake Johnson)’s dad in New Girl. Farina passed away in 2013.

Leland Orser (Lieutenant DeWindt)

Leland Orser plays Lieutenant DeWindt in Saving Private Ryan. Miller and crew encounter him while searching for Ryan. He had recently led a mission that resulted in some planes being taken out of the sky by a storm. DeWindt is clearly still processing the event and all the men lost because of it. He also gives Miller’s crew some dog tags to search to see if Ryan’s name is among them.

Leland Orser appears in a few scenes but this is one of the most standout encounters because, in his few words, the weight of what has happened is felt by the audience and Miller’s crew. Orser is best known for his roles in E.R, Berlin Station, Ray Donovan, and the I Am the Night miniseries. He has also appeared in the films Seven, Excess Baggage, The Bone Collector, Pearl Harbor, Daredevil, and the Taken films.

Max Martini (Corporal Fred Henderson)

Max Martini plays Corporal Fred Henderson in Saving Private Ryan. Henderson is protecting a bridge when he encounters Miller and his crew. He happens to be on a mission with Private Ryan and another man.

Max Martini is best known for his roles in Pacific Rim and the Fifty Shades of Grey, films He played Jack Wiley in the series Level 9, Mack Gerhardt in The Unit, Frank Stevens in Revenge, Arlo Turk in NCIS: Los Angeles, and Edward Coventry in Netflix’s The Order. He also played Ryan Grant in the second season of The Purge.

Ryan Hurst (Paratrooper Michaelson)

The second humorous scene of Saving Private Ryan involves Ryan Hurst’s character, Paratrooper Michaelson. He’s a friend of Private Ryan. He is being questioned by Captain Miller about Private Ryan's whereabouts. Michaelson has recently suffered hearing loss (which isn’t funny), so he can’t hear Miller and continues to loudly repeat him without realizing it (which is funny).

Hurst is practically unrecognizable as a young clean-shaved version of himself. Saving Private Ryan was one of his first roles, but Ryan Hurst fans most likely recognize him for his roles in Remember the Titans, Sons of Anarchy, Bates Motel, Outsiders, and The Walking Dead.

Harve Presnell (General Marshall)

Harve Presnell plays General Marshall. He’s the one so moved and saddened by Ryan’s brothers’ death that he sets things in motion for Captain Miller and his crew to go find him. He appears in a few scenes in the movie. Presnell is known both as a screen and stage performer. He appeared in The Unsinkable Molly Brown musical in the 1964 film version alongside Debbie Reynold.

Harve Presnell also appeared in Broadway productions of Scarlett, Camelot, and Annie. His TV credits include playing Matthew Crane in Ryan’s Hope, Arthur Brooks in Dawson’s Creek, and the voice of Leo Lionheart Sr. in The Lionhearts. His most recognizable film work is as Wade Gustafson in Fargo. He also appeared in the movies Face/Off, Mr. Deeds, Old School, and Evan Almighty. Harve Presnell passed away in 2009.

Saving Private Ryan is now not only known for being a great war movie, but also a great movie that features future big-name stars. Saving Private Ryan is available to purchase or rent on your favorite Video On Demand service. Rent it here.

Both Paul Giamatti and Kathryn Hahn are what I like to call great real-life actors. They can do amazing work in the extremes of drama and comedy, but their best performances come from when they have material with a tone somewhere in the middle -- a tone that matches that of real life. They have a way about them that perfectly taps into the emotional experience of everyday existence. It's a shared strength that makes them natural collaborators, and Tamara Jenkins' Private Life, their first project together, very much proves that. It's a movie that essentially puts itself on the back of its leads, and it's Giamatti and Hahn's turns that make this film a winner.

We only get a Tamara Jenkins film every decade or so (with Private Life's predecessor being 2007's The Savages, which itself followed 1998's Slums Of Beverly Hills), and this time out she is telling the story of Rachel (Kathryn Hahn) and Richard (Paul Giamatti), an upper middle class New York couple trying everything they can to get pregnant. We enter their story as she is in the midst of hormone treatments, preparing for the retrieval stage of an expensive in vitro fertilization process, but hopes are not high, and it feels like disappointment is constantly lingering around the corner. Support is minimal from extended family -- with Richard's brother, Charlie (John Carol Lynch), berated by his wife, Cynthia (Molly Shannon), for loaning them money -- and they are at a point where they are essentially gamblers suffering from the sunk cost fallacy.

Time isn't on the couple's side, but their desire to have a child remains strong. Having been burned by the surrogate process, they have to start considering other options, such as egg donation, though the thought of introducing a stranger's DNA into the mix isn't viewed as optimal. Thankfully, their outlook brightens with the arrival of Sadie (Kayli Carter), Cynthia's college-aged daughter from a previous marriage who has sincere admiration for Rachel and Richard. Together they work towards bringing a new life into the world -- though, of course, it all leads to new kinds of drama.

With a fantastic original script from Tamara Jenkins, Private Life takes its characters through all the true-to-life heartache and high emotions that come with late-in-life pregnancy, and above all else just feels honest. The journey of Rachel's fortitude, fear, frustration and faith through the ups and downs is brutal at times and hilarious at others -- shining thanks to Kathryn Hahn's wonderfully blunt comedic sensibilities. It's perfectly matched with Richard's matched feelings, which also come with a side dose of exhaustion and helplessness that blends with Paul Giamatti's curmudgeon style. It's fascinating to watch them go through all of the trials and tribulations involved. You're engaged and rooting for the best at every turn, and you sympathize with them in them in their darkest moments. They're roles that need the precise presences of Hahn and Giamatti, and they bring their best to the parts.

What additionally makes Private Life refreshing is simply the perspective it takes with the story its telling -- one that we don't really see explored often in film. There are countless examples of movies and television shows that follow the journey of a pregnant woman, but this is a whole different experience, which is completely free of tropes, and true to its title takes you behind the curtain and leaves no stone unturned. Even if you don't fully engage with Richard and Rachel and what they are going through as characters, at the very least it's a surprisingly educational experience just understanding what's involved for 40-plus adults who want to start families.

Hopefully we won't have to wait until 2028 before Tamara Jenkins is ready to deliver her next feature, because 20 years after her auspicious debut, her voice is as strong as ever -- and she continues to work with the best of the best talent. In short, Private Life is the result when filmmakers and actors do what they do best, and it's a dramatic, funny, affecting ride.

If there are two things that the general moviegoer likes, its spy movies and Paul Rudd. So when news of The Catcher Was A Spy became public, you'd think cinephiles would be psyched to see Rudd in another badass role, alongside his run as Ant-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Unfortunately, those looking for Rudd to use his charm and action experience in a thrilling real-life story will ultimately be disappointed in The Catcher Was A Spy. Because while the titular character is on a dangerous assassination mission at the height of WWII, the stakes feel surprisingly low.

The Catcher Was A Spy tells the real-life story (ish) of pro baseball player turned spy Moe Berg. We meet Berg when he's getting a bit long in the tooth in in the league, and begins to think about what his career might be like in the future. Rather than trying to be gym teacher or team manager, Berg's natural inclination was the still growing CIA. Obviously.

Paul Rudd plays Moe Berg with vague swagger, showing off random skills whenever the plot calls for it. While he repeatedly claims he'slousy ball player, his montage while playing with soldiers makes him seem like a living legend. Berg also spoke a ton of languages, a subject never brought up until he eventually whips them out when trying to get involved in the Office of Strategic Services.

This note seems to plague much of The Catcher Was A Spy, as there's little character development until the time calls for it. We do not meet a young Moe Berg, and watch as he studies and absorbs his myriad languages. We also don't see what it took to get Moe into professional baseball, or how his relationship with girlfriend Estella (Sienna Miller) began.

The overall vagueness of The Catcher Was A Spy includes the protagonist, Paul Rudd's Moe Berg. It's hard to really connect with him or understand his psyche, beyond vague good intentions. He moves across careers and scene partners with relative ease, but also without much character. Moe just seems like a nice guy, but as mysterious to the audience as he is to the real-life figures he interacts with.

The true life concept of The Catcher Was A Spy sounds fascinating: a baseball player joins the CIA, and is tasked with assassinating supposed atomic bomb scientist Werner Heisenberg. Yet the action and high stakes situations feel remarkably casual. While Moe doesn't do a ton of emoting during war scenes and tense espionage, the film's soundtrack doesn't even pick up to help move the audience. The film's final climax is thoroughly underwhelming, possibly asking what the point of the past 98 minutes was.

The Catcher Was A Spy may also have some controversy surrounding it, especially when it comes to the protagonist's sexuality. While Moe Berg has a girlfriend who he loves, their connection is portrayed as almost completely platonic. Moe's apparent conflicted sexuality and same sex attraction makes for some of the film's most tender and emotional moments, although it's unclear if director Ben Lewin and writer Robert Rodat got this from fact, or if it was a question greatly expanded in order to craft a more complex central character. The novel of the same name had no inclusion of this aspect to Moe Berg, despite it being such a major plot point and through line of Catcher Was A Spy's runtime.

Paul Rudd is joined by an impressive supporting cast, who each try to bring their best to their respective roles. Paul Giamatti is probably the biggest scene stealer, as the moral compass character Samuel Goudsmit. Also making appearances are the likes of Jeff Daniels, Connie Nielsen, and Mark Strong. They all bring their signature skill to the table, albeit in a weak project.

The Catcher Was A Spy sounds like an emotional and thrilling ride on paper, but it ends up more weighed down than its protagonist. You can catch the film in limited theaters now.

Disney's Jungle Cruise movie is looking to start filming soon, which means it's been filling out its cast. The newest addition will reunite Dwayne Johnson with one of his San Andreas co-stars, sort of. Paul Giamatti has reportedly taken a role in the new film. He was also in the earthquake disaster movie San Andreas with The Rock, although the pair never actually shared the screen in that movie. It seems, based the part Giamatti is taking here, that probably won't be the case here.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Paul Giamatti will play the role of a "crusty harbormaster" in the Jungle Cruise movie, a role which will almost certainly come in contact with the boat captain played by Dwayne Johnson. The story will see Johnson's skipper taking a sister and brother, played by Emily Blunt and Jack Whitehall, through the Amazon in search of a tree that allegedly has healing capabilities. Exactly where the harbormaster fits into the story isn't clear, but one would expect he runs the harbor at the beginning of the adventure down the Amazon. If so, the part could be a small one, though clearly a significant one if they wanted Giamatti to play it.

Needless to say, Paul Giamatti as a "crusty harbormaster" in a Disney movie sounds like just about the worlds most perfect casting. With Jungle Cruise being compared to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise as far as the sort of tone the movie is going for, I can see Giamatti's character being something akin to the role of Jack Sparrow's first mate Mr. Gibbs. A bit rough around the edges and humorous in a curmudgeonly way. It feels like the sort of role he was made for. It will probably be a lot of fun to play, and also a lot of fun to watch.

Disney's Jungle Cruise has been an idea in development for years, but only in the last year or so has it really begun to get forward momentum. With a cast that includes Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, who will be seen later in Mary Poppins Returns, it certainly has the star power to be another major live-action Disney hit.

While Jungle Cruise is expected to film over this coming summer, the movie still has no set release date. A summer 2019 date would make the most sense if filming will be done in a few months, but Disney's 2019 calendar is already pretty full, so it could be looking at a later date. The next open slot on Disney's official release calendar for an untitled live-action movie is April 3, 2020, which seems like a likely candidate.

Whenever we go on a Jungle Cruise, it looks like we'll be going with a stellar cast.

Last summer, Ex Machina told the story of what happens when a genius decides to create artificial intelligence, only to see it go awry. This summer, Morgan looks to tell that same sort of story, and it's hard not to notice the similarities between the two on paper. However, after watching the first teaser for Morgan, we not only have faith that the two films will be wildly different, we also have to praise whoever plotted this sparse, intriguing teaser. Watch it for yourself below.

With 20th Century Fox's release of the trailer on YouTube, Morgan has introduced the public to its sci-fi mystery in a way that most films choose to ignore when it comes to advertising. Instead of filling the trailer with the usual array of cut away scenes of tension and action, the trailer for the Kate Mara starring film decides to fill in a little bit of backstory. Slow, deliberate shots of the sets we'll see in the film are punctuated by dialogue that suggests the peril ahead. Yet all throughout, we only see brief glimpses of actual people, and stark, un-populated settings. If Alfred Hitchcock sold Ex Machina the same way he sold Psycho, you'd have the trailer for Morgan.

Story wise, Morgan tells the story of the titular synthetic being, and the decision that's to be made involving her continued existence. This decision will come down to a risk analyst, played by Kate Mara, as she weighs the history before and after an industrial accident of sorts. Judging by the blood smear on that door in the middle of the trailer, we'd venture to guess that "accident" was the murder of someone on the project. Just a tiny guess. Now this is where Ex Machina and Morgan begin to part ways. While the former film saw its examiner testing whether the A.I. involved could pass as Human, this film is pondering the ethics of allowing a being we created to exist after it's committed the ultimate sin. Both films approach the same apple, but Morgan's bite looks to be more ethical and less sexual.

Perhaps the most interesting difference between Morgan and its predecessor is the fact that we don't know exactly what sort of organism Morgan truly is. While she's mentioned as a "human," quotation marks and all, she's referred to as an "it" in the film's fitting tagline: "Don't Let It Out." With the accelerated path of growth and development that is charted through the trailer's opening minutes, it's assumed that she's definitely an organic being to a certain degree. Though if early reports hold up, Morgan is a "genetically engineered" being, which means that not only is she organic, but the span of her life may be a lot shorter than we think – thus explaining her child's mind. Also starring in this fun house of sci-fi morality is an all star cast of folks like Game Of Thrones' Rose Leslie, Paul Giamatti, Toby Jones, and even Anya Taylor-Joy, who's experiencing a bit of a popularity bump after her featured role in this year's horror hit The Witch.

The world will meet Morgan on September 2nd, which gives us just a little bit of pause, as that's sometimes where bad films are left to rot. We're crossing our fingers that this isn't the case with Morgan, as they really nailed that trailer.

Damian Lewis’ time on Homeland may be over, but the actor is headed back to television very soon. This time around, he’s sticking with Showtime for the drama Billions, starring opposite Paul Giamatti. We’ve finally gotten a good look at the trailer for the new series, and it’s pretty snazzy. Give it a watch.

We’ve been hearing about Showtime’s Billions for well over a year now, but this is the first time we’ve really caught footage from the series, which follows Paul Giamatti as Chuck Rhoades, a lawyer with a desire to butt heads with some of the richest hedge fund billionaires in the US. He has a particular problem with Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis), a billionaire with a confident attitude and money to burn. There’s a cat and mouse game that is central to Billions that picks up after Rhoades’ team finds traces of a “suspect trading pattern” all linking back to Bobby and his cronies. Regardless of the potential ramifications of the inquiry, Axelrod doesn't seem like the type of man who will back down.

Along with Lewis and Giamatti, Billions will also prominently feature Malin Akerman, David Costabile, Maggie Siff, and many, many more. The latter casting should be good news for Sons of Anarchy fans. While Maggie Siff popped up in an episode of Mad Men during its final season, she hasn’t had a meaty role since Tara’s time was cut short on Sons of Anarchy at the end of Season 6. In Billions, she’ll play Wendy Rhoades, a psychiatrist who also happens to be married to Chuck.

Currently, Showtime hasn’t announced a premiere date for its upcoming drama, but the network has revealed it will be coming soon. In addition, new seasons of Homeland and The Affair are coming this fall, while Ray Donovan and Masters of Sex premiere this Sunday evening on the subscription cable network. So, the network's upcoming schedule is looking pretty interesting, indeed. (Although it probably won't be enough to catch Showtime up with subscription cable juggernauts HBO and Starz.)

Showtime already has a page set up for its latest series, so if you want to learn more, you can head to the network’s site. In the meantime, here’s what else the network has coming up this summer.

The upcoming feature-length animated adaptation of the popular video game franchise Ratchet and Clank just added an impressive array of talent for their supporting cast of voices. It is being reported that Sylvester Stallone, John Goodman, Rosario Dawson, Bella Thorne and Paul Giamatti have all been added to the 3D animated epic.

The Hollywood Reporter broke the news of this arrival of notable talent for voice roles in the Ratchet and Clank feature film. However, further supplementing this news, IGN revealed that Stallone will play a character named Victor, Goodman will voice Grimroth, Dawson will voice Elaris and Thorne will voice Cora. Of them all, though, it seems that Giamatti may have nabbed the most notable role, since he will apparently voice Chairman Drek, who is expected to be the film’s main villain.

Despite the noteworthy assortment of names that have just jumped on board for some mic work, the film’s main characters will be reprised by the talent who provided the voices of the characters in the video game series. The Lombax humanoid feline Ratchet will be voiced by James Arnold Taylor, while the utilitarian-adaptable automaton Clank will be voiced by David Kaye. Plus Armin Shimerman is back as Nefarious and Jim Ward returns as the cocky celebrity space ranger, Captain Qwark. The film has been gestating since it was being hyped to gamers at E3 back in 2013, readying itself to serve as a tentpole from which to completely relaunch the video game franchise in 2015. A new reimagining of the video game series is also set to coincide with the release of the film, but release dates have yet to be locked in.

The video game series, which started back in 2002 with the first game released on the Sony PlayStation 2, follows a story set in another part of the galaxy where Ratchet, an anthropomorphic feline mechanic with attitude, teams up with a miniature sentient robot, Clank, who can emulate different functions and gain abilities throughout the game like helicopter flight, and becoming various weapons. The duo are tasked with stopping the evil Chairman Drek, leader of a polluted planet, Orxon, who is attempting to strong-arm other planets across the Solana galaxy to utilize their resources and leave them as environmentally depleted as his own dump of a home.

The game series enjoyed quite a lengthy run during its heyday from 2002 to the last entry in 2013. When the movie was first announced a few years back, the production actually was ready to release a special teaser trailer, which you can watch below:

The history of science fiction has shown us many possible changes to our world that could occur after the introduction of synthetic organisms – be they organic or mechanical – to our society. While Ex Machina is the most recent film to cover the mechanical side of the issue, it looks like Fox's new sci-fi film Morgan is going to take the more organic approach. In doing so, it's also attracted a cast of newcomers and established actors – including Paul Giamattic and Toby Jones - to tell its story of life and the judgments we pass when we decide we're the superior species.

The Hollywood Reporter has the scoop that the studio that's made great bedfellows with Ridley Scott and his sci fi urges on numerous occasions is taking a chance on his son, Luke, as the director for this sci-fi morality tale. According to the report, Morgan tells the story of "a corporate risk-management consultant, who is summoned to a remote research lab to determine whether or not to terminate a genetically-engineered being." It seems someone at Fox saw the hubbub that Alex Garland's Ex Machina has stirred up with audiences ever since its SXSW premiere, and they want in on the cerebral/conversational sci-fi market. Along for the ride in Luke Scott's directorial feature debut is an impressive ensemble.

Paul Giamatti

Already having a busy year, what with <Straight Outta Compton and San Andreas making his summer an eventful one, Giamatti has been hired to play, " a psychologist who has trouble relating to people." We'd like to think that in the "terminate vs. don't terminate" debate, he'll be one of the people on the latter side of the argument, which might yield one of the actor's more sensitive performances.

Kate Mara

Continuing her relationship with both Fox, as well as Ridley Scott, Kate Mara will be playing the "corporate risk-management consultant" that's called in to assess the situation. With both Fantastic Four and The Martian keeping her on the Fox lot, her casting may have been fast tracked thanks to a glowing recommendation Ridley Scott.

Toby Jones

Veteran character actor Toby Jones will be playing, "the chief scientist in charge of the facility." Considering the man has convincingly played figures of both authority and scientific knowledge, this is an easy casting choice. Though don't be surprised if Jones' character turns out to be the straight laced, "kill that thing before it kills us" sort of scientist that these sorts of movies always contain.

Anya Taylor-Joy

A relative unknown, except for some television work and the much buzzed horror feature The Witch, Anya Taylor Joy is cast as the "genetically-engineered being" that will factor into the center of this mystery. If we were to put money on it, we'd assume that Taylor-Joy is the titular Morgan of the picture.

Boyd Holbrook

Last but not least is Boyd Holbrook, who was recently seen as Ed Harris' erratic son in Run All Night, as well as Kristen Wiig's scuba instructor in The Skeleton Twins. Holbrook is still in negotiations for the role of, "a nutritionist at the facility," but seems like an easy fit with the rest of the cast.

While the initial premise does sound like "Ex Machina for the genetic ethics crowd," the fact that there's more of a presence in the desolate location promises to make things even more complicated for the characters of Morgan. While two characters fighting over the ethics of a potentially revolutionary technology is tense enough, a group of people engaging in the same sort of fight can be even more exciting. We'll have to wait and see though, as Morgan has no immediate plans for shooting or a release window just yet.

As a nation, the U.S. is much more inclined to understand what’s happening in a galaxy far, far away than we are about the financial world that serves as the country’s backbone. The upcoming Showtime project Billions aims to give audiences the inside baseball approach to high finance, and the show is bringing in Sons of Anarchy alum Maggie Siff to help tell this big dollar tale.

Siff is joining powerhouse actors Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis for Billions, which is currently gearing up towards its pilot production. The basic plot will center on the cataclysmic headbutting between the brainy and ballsy U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti) and the hedge fund king Bobby “Axe” Axelrod (Lewis), who appears to have ambition running through his bloodstream. The prospect of these guys firing verbal shots at one another is quite appealing.

According to THR, Siff enters the story as Chuck’s wife Wendy Rhoades. She graduated from her medical class with top honors – which is at least somewhat similar to her Sons of Anarchy role – and she’s trained as a psychiatrist. However, she’s currently working as a performance coach whose popularity is boundless, as she has built her career working with some of the most powerful players in the financial world. It’s good to see that a show taking place in such a male-dominated world has lined up a solid lead female role, especially one whose angle is predominantly mental.

Billions is written and executive produced Andrew Ross Sorkin (Squawk Box) and by Brian Koppelman and David Levien, the duo who co-wrote features like Ocean’s Eleven, Runner Runner and Rounders. All three movies are about the hunt for money in different ways, so maybe they’re the perfect guys to tell this story. For its director, the pilot has landed Neil Burger, best known for his work on The Illusionist and Divergent, in as much as anyone can be best known for Divergent.

Siff is clearly comfortable on TV, starring for six seasons in FX’s violence-driven Sons of Anarchy. She’s previously had recurring roles on Mad Men, the short-lived Life on Mars and Nip/Tuck. On the feature side of things, she’s probably best known for roles in Leaves of Grass and Push, and she’s got J. Blakeson’s sci-fi YA adaptation The Fifth Wave coming up next year, alongside Chloe Moretz and Live Schreiber.

We’re not quite sure how much money to invest in Billions getting ordered to series, but this is precisely the kind of cast that usually gets things locked down. The pilot is scheduled to begin production in New York in early 2015, so I guess we’ll have a better idea of the project’s fate in six months or so. Who will be the next to join?

After a slew of casting catastrophes and controversies, Straight Outta Compton has landed a celebrated actor in Paul Giamatti. And with this casting coup, the NWA biopic has secured its biggest movie star.

THR says Paul Giamatti has joined Straight Outta Compton. He has signed on to play NWA manager Jerry Heller. You can see a side-to-side comparison of the pair above. Giamatti will now appear opposite a cast of unknowns, who will play DJ Yella, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube and MC Ren. It's rumored Dr. Dre and Ice Cube will make appearances as themselves in the film's resolution.

Though not as well known as the NWA crew, Jerry Heller was an established and respected taste maker in music when he took a risk on the pioneering rap group. He'd previously repped or worked with acts like Journey, ELO, REO Speedwagon, Pink Floyd, and Elton John. With Eazy-E, Heller co-founded Ruthless Records, and oversaw NWA through their rise to fame. But some have blamed Heller for the group's eventual disintegration. It seems Giamatti's will be a key role in this rags-to-riches tale.

We first got word on this biopic back in 2010, when Andrea Berloff was hired to pen a screenplay based on the group's formation and subsequent success story. By June of 2012, F. Gary Gray was on board as Straight Outta Compton's director, and was holding open casting calls to fill the biopic's lead roles. Nearly two more years clicked by before the filmmakers pursued fast-rising African-American starMichael B. Jordan. But with The Fantastic Four filling his schedule, he sidestepped the project, seemingly leaving its casting as a quagmire.

Finally, in June of this year, Universal Pictures gave the greenlight when a crew of unknowns had been assembled. This line-up boasted Corey Hawkins as Dr. Dre, Jason Mitchell as Eazy-E, and O'Shea Jackson Jr. (A.K.A. Ice Cube's son) as Ice Cube. But a casting controversy soon followed when a call for female extras was called "racist." Just last week, the production hit another snag when its filming was interrupted by a real shooting. While on location in the Compton Courthouse, a conflict unrelated to the film lead to gunfire. One person not affiliated with Straight Out of Compton was shot, but thankfully not mortally wounded.

Basically, after a barrage of bad luck, it looks like this biopic has finally found some good luck in securing such a heralded performer. Paul Giamatti has earned an Academy Award nomination for his supporting turn in the biopic Cinderella Man, and won a Golden Globe for fronting the biographical mini-series John Adams. You'd be hard-pressed to find an American actor who could bring better gravitas and prestige to this plagued production. Here's hoping this is where Straight Out of Compton's fortunes turn around.

Straight Out of Compton is now in production. It is expected to open in theaters on August 14, 2015.

2006's Emilio Estevez-directed drama Bobby was a take on the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy from the perspective of a lot of people-- played by a lot of celebrities-- who were in the vicinity of the Ambassador Hotel, where he was shot. Bobby didn't do all that well, but that hasn't deterred Tom Hanks (as a producer) from assembling Parkland, a recounting of the day John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas in 1963. As you can see in the film's first trailer above, which premiered at Yahoo!, it takes a whole lot of celebrities to tell this story as well.

Yes, that's Paul Giamatti as Abraham Zapruder, capturer of what's probably history's most famous amateur video. And, somehow, that's Zac Efron as Dr. James Carrico, the first doctor at Dallas's Parkland Hospital to examine the President after he had been shot. Call me crazy, but that mustache isn't making Efron seem any more believable as an ER doctor. The rest of the cast looks much more convincing in their roles, including Marcia Gay Harden as an ER nurse, Billy Bob Thornton as a Secret Service agent, Jacki Weaver as Lee Harvey Oswald's mother, and newcomer Jeremy Strong as Oswald himself, looking almost completely identical to the famous assassin. Check out this side-by-side:

Though Hanks is the biggest name behind the scenes, and only serving as a producer, director Peter Landesman has some interesting credits of his own. He's a journalist as well as a screenwriter (he scripted Parkland) and wrote several pieces for The New York Times, including a hotly disputed one about sex trafficking. Parkland will be his directorial debut, but his background in journalism ought to make him an even more interesting pick than, say, Hanks himself, who has stepped behind the camera a few times. Landesman adapted the script from Vincent Bugliosi's book Reclaiming History, which is described this way at Amazon:

You can see the poster for Parkland below, and the movie itself in theaters on September 20.

Shirley Maclaine shook things up a bit at Downton last season, and it sounds like one of Season 4's newest newcomers will do the same as well. American actor Paul Giamatti is set to join the series as a close relative to Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) and her family, and word is, he and MacLaine's returning character Martha will "upset the Grantham apple cart." Knowing Giamatti, who's a gifted actor at both comedy and drama, it's not impossible to picture that, especially when bringing MacLaine into the picture.

TVLine reports that Giamatti is joining Downton Abbey for Season 4, playing the role of Harold Levinson, Cora's brother and the uncle to Mary and Edith. He's set to appear alongside Shirley MacLaine, who's returning to the role of Cora and Harold's mother. As much as I'm hoping for some more biting interactions between Martha and Maggie Smith's Violet Crawley, I'm now just as eager to see how the Dowager Countess takes to Giamatti's character, and how he takes to her. There's definite potential for some great moments between those two, especially considering Executive producer Gareth Neame describes Giamatti's character as "free-spirited." That could clash drastically with Crawley's more buttoned-up view of the world.

Giamatti isn't the only newcomer to board Downton Abbey for Season 4. Among the other newcomers to appear in the series is Dame Harriet Walters, who's playing an old friend of Dowager, Nigle Harman, who's playing a visiting valet named Green, and Tom Cullen, who's a new love interest to the recently widowed Mary.

Giamatti's probably better known for his feature work, which goes back to the 90s, with roles in Past Midnight, Singles and Mighty Aphrodite among his earliest credits. He went on to play parts in Donnie Brasco, Private Parts and Saving Private Ryan. But he didn't start earning himself award nominations and wins until after 2000, when he scored an Oscar Nom for Cinderella Man and later won a Golden Globe and an Emmy for his portrayal of the title role in HBO's miniseries John Adams. WIth that in mind, it's especially exciting to hear that he's coming back to television for a role on Downton Abbey.

Downton Abbey fans across the pond have only a few months to wait for the series to return for Season 4 on ITV. While it premieres in September in the U.K., the Julian Fellowes-created drama won't make its U.S. debut on PBS until January 2014.

Here's a look at some of the swear-filled highlights of the 2004 dramedy Sideways, which has Giamatti showing of this temper. Contains strong language, so consider that your NSFW warning.

Two Beach Boys biopics are bulldozing their way through pre-production in a bit of a melodic race to reach theaters first. In that sense, the planned Love & Mercy took a lead today by adding another recognizable name to it’s already impressive ensemble.

Paul Giamatti, according to The Wrap, has landed the role of Dr. Eugene Landy in Bill Pohlad’s Brian Wilson biopic. Landy was Wilson’s therapist, a controversial figure who is believed to have exploited Wilson in an effort to control the singer-songwriter’s drug addiction. His process – which involved 24-hour therapy sessions that controlled every aspect of Wilson’s existence – earned Landy the nickname “Doctor Feelgood” … and eventually cost him his medical license.

Right now, Pohlad plans to begin filming Love & Mercy over the summer. He already has cast Paul Dano and John Cusack as Wilson in different stages of his life. It’s expected to be as much a Beach Boys story as it is a Wilson story, with an emphasis on the musical genius who pioneered the California beach-pop outfit over the years. Wilson’s relationship with Landy alone could fuel a fascinating movie … and I’m shocked no one has gone down that road already. The doctor took over as Wilson’s manager for years, violating a code of conduct between therapist and subject. Giamatti and Cusack could have a field day exploring this fractured “friendship.”

Giamatti will move into Love & Mercy right after he wraps up shooting on Marc Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2, where he’s scheduled to terrorize Andrew Garfield’s masked hero as The Rhino.

Since being released in 1943, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's French novella The Little Prince has become a staple of childhood literature. And today that story took major steps towards getting a big screen adaptation.

The Hollywood Reporter has learned that the folks behind an upcoming animated feature version of the book have been keeping busy casting, and have lined up an impressive, long list of stars. The trade reports that James Franco, Rachel McAdams, Jeff Bridges, Marion Cotillard, Benicio Del Toro and Paul Giamatti have all signed up to voice characters in the movie. Mark Osborne, who has plenty of experience lining up A-list celebrities for voice over work having directed 2008's Kung Fu Panda, is attached to helm, though there's no mention of who will be handling the script.

For those unfamiliar with the book, the plot centers on a pilot who crashes in the Sahara desert and miraculously comes across a young boy who claims to hail from an asteroid and has fallen to Earth. The pilot fixes his plane and tries to get it ready for flight again while the boy tells him stories about his homeworld. Sources have informed THR that Bridges will be providing the voice of the pilot, but fails to mention who the rest of the actors will be portraying.

The story has been adapted numerous times for both television and film, one of the most notable being the live-action feature version from 1974, directed by Stanley Donen. There's no mention of when the new take on The Little Prince is aiming for release.

Robert Mitchum had them in Night of the Hunter. Elwood Blues had them in The Blues Brothers. Now Paul Giamatti is the latest intimidating dude to dabble in knuckle tattoos, as revealed in this first look at him playing The Rhino in The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

As with nearly every tidbit we've gotten from the set, this photo comes from director Marc Webb's Twitter feed, with the message "Say hello to Aleksei Sytsevich." That, of course, is the real name of The Rhino, a thug for hire coming from the former Soviet Union who gets involve in an experiment that makes his skin super strong and resilient. Those tattoos on Giamatti look like exactly what you'd expect from a Russian thug-- think Viggo Mortensen in Eastern Promises-- and the barbed wire forehead tattoo is especially intense. Of course, we got a tease about these tattoos not long ago-- back when production had just started, Webb tweeted a photo of a bunch of ring tattoos. We joked at the time that it suggested a connection between Spider-Man and Iron Man 3's The Mandarin, who in the comics fronts a terror organization called the Ten Rings. Now that we know the truth about Iron Man 3's version of The Mandarin, that joke is even more absurd in retrospect.

It's nice to see Giamatti at the center of one of Webb's tweets, since most of the film's other big new characters-- Dane DeHaan's Harry Osborn, Jamie Foxx's Electro, even whoever The Office's B.J. Novak is playing-- have been tweeted by Webb already. Who do you want to see revealed next? Or are you sick of Webb flooding us with so much information nearly a year before the movie comes out? Sound off below.

Prince Avalanche and Almost Christmas make for a pretty solid double feature. Both are dark comedies that star Paul Rudd as a blue-collar guy trying to prove his worth to his girlfriend and her young daughter. Both attempt tender character portraits, and both appear to be attempts by their directors to reclaim the critical acclaim that once embraced them.

Almost Christmas is Phil Morrison's long-awaited follow-up to the 2005 indie drama Junebug, which memorably launched Amy Adams' career. Described as a buddy comedy, it follows two Canadian thieves to New York City, where they try to go legit by selling Christmas trees in Brooklyn. Paul Giamatti plays Dennis, a surly crook whose just been released from a four-year stint in prison to find Rene, his former partner-in-crime, has stolen away the love of Dennis' wife and daughter. Rudd plays this disloyal but dopey former safecracker, who is a charismatic chatterbox that pleads patience from Giamatti's rage-filled ex-con.

While the performances by Rudd and Giamatti are expectedly engaging, the plot feels rudderless as the days tick down to Christmas and the film's finale. The stakes of this tree-selling venture are unclear, preventing the movie from being deeply engaging. Rene is close to proposing to Dennis's ex, who told their daughter that Dennis is dead. So what could Dennis possibly hope to gain in this adventure? The final answer is cute, but anticlimactic. Still, Sally Hawkins is a standout as an outspoken Russian maid who befriends the thieves, alternately belittling them and feeding them in her unique brand of gruff love. But overall Almost Christmas isn't funny enough to please as a comedy, and not deep enough to work as a drama. Consider this Morrison's sophomore slump.

Based on the Icelandic odd couple comedy Either Way, Prince Avalanche has Rudd in the curmudgeon role of Alvin, a pretentious road worker who is spending the summer working alongside his longtime girlfriend's clueless slacker brother Lance (Emile Hirsch). Together they paint yellow lines, and put up signs on a newly paved stretch of road that winds through a territory recently razed by wildfires. Admittedly, as this is helmed by Green and starring Rudd, I had anticipated a broad, slapstick-heavy comedy like Pineapple Express, or The Sitter. But after the latter disappointed commercially and took a beating critically, Green needs a success and to reassess. So he has returned to his roots with this quirky, character-driven dramedy. And while at times a bit wonky, Prince Avalanche is winsome and poignant.

A mellow movie about loneliness and friendship, it has a sweet and earnest charm, and a rough and tumble appeal. Alvin and Lance initially work in silence, carefully avoiding the confrontations their very different personalities make inevitable. But as they share in each other's highs, lows, and strange experiences with the strange people who haunt this strip of road, the two help each other rise from the ashes of their own personal disasters.

Meditatively paced and thoughtfully plotted, Prince Avalanche allows its characters space to breathe and evolve within the lonely world it presents. Aside from these two lovable schlubs, the landscape offers up a moonshine swilling guru and a widow sifting through the ashes of her fire-eaten home for some evidence of her life before. Delicately rendered performances imbued with a lively humor make each of the film's characters captivating, as do strong performances offered all around. Rudd is smugly satisfying as a know-it-all, but Hirsch steals his thunder as the tender hearted horn-dog Lance, proving he has the comedic appeal (and even a vague physical resemblance) of Jack Black, minus the manic mannerisms. All in all, Prince Avalanche is a heartwarming comedy that shows Green hasn't lost his touch, just briefly his way.

To catch up on all of our Tribeca coverage, click here.